ALISSON ENSURES REDS RUN GOES ON
ALISSON came to Liverpool’s rescue to preserve their unbeaten home league record and stop Manchester United opening a fourpoint lead at the top of the Premier League, as a disappointing game ended 0-0.
The clash between England’s two most decorated clubs never got close to fulfilling its billing, with the best quality on show coming from the Liverpool keeper, who denied Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in the second half.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s 200th league match in charge will not live long in the memory, with a predictable seventh draw in the last ten meetings between these sides.
Klopp’s team have not won in four league matches and have failed to score in three as, despite 18 shots, they managed three on target.
United had four on target from eight attempts.
The hope for the hosts was Thiago
Alcantara, making his first Anfield appearance since arriving from Bayern
Munich in September, would provide the creative spark. He did dictate play but even his exquisite use of the ball could not unlock a well-drilled United. But the Spaniard was not helped by wayward finishing from Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri – making his first league start for 13 months – and Andy Robertson. United played within themselves, content to wait for a Liverpool mistake, and as a result they did not have their first shot until the 34th minute, when Fernandes whipped a free-kick just wide. United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (pictured) was first to make his move, sending on Edinson Cavani for Anthony Martial on the hour, just before Salah had another shot deflected wide after seeming to delay a fraction too long. Fernandes appeared to be the only United player testing Alisson, with the Brazil international saving twice during the second period, the second a good block.
Thiago forced the under
employed David de Gea to palm away his strike from distance before Alisson produced the stop of the evening to turn Paul Pogba’s drive out for a corner.
There were moments in the final 15 minutes when it looked like Liverpool’s long unbeaten home record, stretching back to April 2017, would fall as United seemed likeliest to score but a 68th game was eventually negotiated.
United left the pitch slightly happier with their day’s work but the occasion itself was significantly less satisfying.