‘Draw feels like a loss’
EPL: VIRGIL LAMENTS RESULT AS REDS GIVE ADVANTAGE BACK TO ARSENAL
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said a dramatic 2-2 draw at Manchester United yesterday felt like a defeat after throwing away two points in the Premier League title race.
They were held to a damaging 2-2 draw by the Red Devils as they handed the initiative to Arsenal in the Premier League title race, while Tottenham moved into fourth place with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
The visitors dominated the majority of the game but needed a Mohamed Salah penalty six minutes from time to avoid defeat after spectacular strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
The draw leaves Liverpool behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference and just one point ahead of Manchester City with seven games remaining in the tightest of title races.
Despite United’s struggles this season, Liverpool have failed to beat Erik ten Hag’s men in three meetings this season.
United edged a thrilling FA Cup quarterfinal 4-3 three weeks ago and emerged with a 0-0 draw at Anfield in December.
“It feels like a loss,” said Van Dijk. “It is our fault again.
“We had so many chances and we should finish the game off.”
Should the Reds fail to mark Juergen Klopp’s final season in charge by winning a 20th English top-flight title, to match United’s record, they will look back on this day and wonder how they failed to win.
For Liverpool, it was a similar story from the FA Cup tie as they wasted a series of chances to extend their lead and ended up getting hit by the United sucker punch.
Liverpool finished the first half with 15 shots to United’s none.
\Liverpool did lead 1-0 at halftime as Luis Diaz fired in Darwin Nunez’s header from a corner.
But Dominik Szoboszlai, Salah and Darwin Nunez were all wasteful in front of goal.
“Being 1-0 up at Old Trafford and having a 15-0 shooting stat is incredible,” said Klopp. “Besides that we could have been calmer or clearer in moments.
“Just stay calm. We are where we are and we keep giving it a proper go. Do I wish we had 10 points difference? Of course. We take what we got and keep going.”
At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the game went ahead despite a fatal stabbing just yards from the ground yesterday.
Ange Postecoglou’s side took the lead thanks to an own goal from Forest defender Murillo in the 15th minute.
Timo Werner’s low cross into the six-yard box caused panic and Murillo’s stretching attempt to clear diverted the ball into his own net.
Chris Wood equalised in the 27th minute with a clinical strike from Anthony Elanga’s pass for his 12th league goal this season.
But Micky van de Ven bagged Tottenham’s second in the 52nd minute with a blistering strike from just inside the area.
And six minutes later Pedro Porro produced a powerful half-volley from 14 yards to put the result beyond doubt.
Tottenham are now above fifth placed Aston Villa on goal difference and also hold a game in hand in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
In Sunday’ other game, Ole McBurnie’s last-gasp equaliser forced Chelsea to settle for a 2-2 draw at bottom of the table Sheffield United.