Manchester United 3–2 Liverpool: Mainoo saves the day at Old Trafford
Manchester United edged out Liverpool 3–2 on Sunday, finally locking in their spot in the Champions League after a match that felt like a total rollercoaster. Kobbie Mainoo stepped up to grab his first goal of the season, clawing back a win just as it looked like United were throwing away a two-goal lead. In the end, it was a massive statement from Michael Carrick’s side, showing exactly why they belong back among Europe’s elite.
New Neymar – Man Utd prepared to spend £34m for 16-year-old teenage sensation
Manchester United starters: Hits and misses
Senne Lammens (4/10) had a fairly quiet first half but then had a bit of a nightmare, basically handing Liverpool a goal with a terrible pass from a goal-kick.
Luke Shaw (7.5/10) put in a high-energy shift at the back; only Casemiro was more active defensively over the ninety minutes.
Harry Maguire (6/10) had some trouble in the air and with his distribution, though he did well to play through a knock to the head.
Ayden Heaven (7/10) stood out with his passing range and won several duels on the ground, coming away as one of the few defenders who can be genuinely happy with his shift.
Diogo Dalot (6/10) was solid enough in his individual battles but won’t be happy with how he dealt with Szoboszlai’s goal.
In the middle of the park, Casemiro (7/10) set the tone with his work rate.
Kobbie Mainoo (9/10) capped off a week where he signed a new long-term contract by smashing home the winner from the edge of the box.
Bruno Fernandes (7/10) was the engine that kept United moving forward and played a huge part in the second goal, even if a mistake by Woodman helped it along.
Matheus Cunha (8/10) caused Liverpool all sorts of problems with his dribbling; his goal might have taken a deflection, but he was a constant threat throughout.
Bryan Mbeumo (6.5/10) worked hard to create openings but was guilty of missing a few big chances.
Benjamin Sesko (7/10) scored the second goal but unfortunately had to be taken off at half-time with an injury.
Three Major reasons behind Chelsea’s poor season
How did the substitutes perform?
Amad Diallo (4/10) replaced Sesko at the break but struggled immediately, giving the ball away to Szoboszlai for the goal that sparked Liverpool’s comeback. He never really seemed to find his feet after that.
Patrick Dorgu (5.5/10) had a golden opportunity to make it 4–2 and put the game to bed, but couldn’t take it.
Joshua Zirkzee (6.5/10) looked bright in his first appearance in over three months, causing problems on Liverpool’s right flank with some clever runs.
Leny Yoro (6/10) was brought on in the final moments to help close things out and stayed composed despite the late pressure.
It was a messy, chaotic night for Manchester United, but they got the job done. The 3–2 win was built on a fast start and nearly ruined by sloppy mistakes, only to be saved by a bit of Mainoo magic. United now head into the final stretch of the season with their Champions League place confirmed and plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this young group.
[…] Kobbie Mainoo gets 9/10, Manchester United players rated after 3-2 win against Liverpool […]