Manchester United frustrate Liverpool at Anfield
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Updated 14/10/2017 at 14:44 GMT
Premier League, Anfield - Liverpool 0 Manchester United 0
Liverpool's German midfielder Emre Can reacts to a missed chance during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October 14, 2017
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester United held Liverpool to a scoreless draw at Anfield in the early kick-off.
Jose Mourinho sent out his side to contain Liverpool, yet would have left Merseyside pointless were it not for the excellence of David de Gea and the profligacy of Emre Can.
De Gea produced a save of the highest order from Joel Matip in the first half while Can put the game’s most presentable chance of the game over the bar in the second half as the game finished scoreless for the second season in a row.
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Manchester United's Phil Jones watches as David De Gea makes a save
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Both sides were quite sluggish early on, with the action very cagey. United were happy to sit deep and allow Liverpool plenty of the ball - nothing new there.
However, all that possession told as Liverpool created the best opening of the game 34 minutes in, but De Gea stuck out a leg to brilliantly deny Matip from point blank range. No goalkeeper has made more saves from big chances this season than the Spaniard.
United then created a golden chance of their own, but Lukaku saw his tame effort saved by Simon Mignolet, before the Belgian hitman was involved in an unsavoury incident with Dejan Lovren as the half drew to a close.
After the break Liverpool continued to see plenty of the ball, but De Gea remained largely untroubled, while United didn't really cause Mignolet any problems either. Can had the best chance to win it, but fired over from close range as United held on to preserve their unbeaten start to the season, and, temporarily at least, move top of the table.
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Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) vies with Manchester United's Italian defender Matteo Darmian during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October
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TALKING POINT
The value of De Gea. Plenty a goalkeeper will make more saves than David De Gea the world over, but what makes the Spaniard one of the best in the business is that he often goes long spells in the game with very little to do, but when called upon, he produces world class saves time and again. Such stops, in a game when the finest of margins can be the difference between title success and agonising heartache, can make all the difference.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Philippe Coutinho. Not much in it, but the Brazilian stood out as a creative influence at Anfield. United marshalled him well in the first half, but as he dropped deeper after the interval, United struggled to pick him up and he caused United plenty of problems. Some more movement ahead of him would have helped matters.
PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Gomez 7, Matip 7, Lovren 7, Moreno 6, Can 6, Wijnaldum 5, Henderson 6, Coutinho 8, Salah 7, Firmino 6... Subs: Sturridge 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Solanke 6.
Manchester United: De Gea 8, Young 6, Jones 5, Smalling 6, Valencia 6, Darmian 5, Herrera 6, Matic 7, Mkhitaryan 5, Martial 6, Lukaku 6... Subs: Lindelof N/A, Lingard 6, Rashford 6.
KEY MOMENTS
30’ - CLOSE! As close as we have come to a goal. Young whips a cross into the middle, Liverpool only half clear, Mkhitaryan tries to bring the ball down on his chest, it falls to Nemanja Matic, who smashes for goal, but it flies just over.
34’ - WHAT A SAVE! De Gea to the rescue. World class from the Spaniard. Firmino stays just onside, pulls it back for Joel Matip, who diverts the ball goalwards, but De Gea sticks out a leg and keeps it out. The rebound falls for Salah, but he fires wide. Should be 1-0.
44’ - SAVE! United's best chance of the match. Great play from United, Mkhitaryan threads it through for Lukaku, he gets the shot away, but Simon Mignolet beats the ball out.
57’ - CHANCE! Great cross into the middle from Gomez, Jones cannot make the header, Can flicks for goal, but cannot find the target. Had to do better from there.
61’ - NO PENALTY! Herrera clumsy clatters into Coutinho just inside the box, but referee Atkinson waves Liverpool appeals away. Liverpool are camped on the edge of United's box. They just cannot find that killer pass.
KEY STATS
- Jose Mourinho has won only one of his eight matches as a manager against Jurgen Klopp in all competitions (W1 D4 L3). Since Mourinho took charge of Manchester United ahead of 2016-17; these two clubs have won the exact same number of points in the Premier League (89).
- Liverpool and Manchester United have drawn three consecutive league meetings for the first time since 1921.
- Manchester United have equalled their best points tally after the first eight matches of a Premier League season (20 points) also in the 11/12 & 99/00
- Man Utd have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last 10 league games. Indeed, the Red Devils have recorded 18 clean sheets in the Premier League in 2017, the most in the competition.
- Man Utd have landed exactly one shot on target in three of their last four Premier League games against Liverpool.
- Romelu Lukaku has scored just once in his last eight Premier League apps against Liverpool, this after he netted four goals in his first four games versus the Reds.
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