Harry Maguire rose highest in the 84th minute to nod home a dramatic winner as Manchester United edged Liverpool 2–1 in a gripping Premier League clash on Sunday, ending nearly a decade of frustration at Anfield.
The win marked United’s first league victory on Liverpool’s home turf in nine years, dealing a significant blow to the champions’ title ambitions. The result also marked a fourth straight defeat in all competitions for Liverpool—something the Merseyside club hadn’t experienced since November 2014.
The defeat saw Jurgen Klopp’s men slip to fourth in the standings with 15 points, now trailing league leaders Arsenal by four. Meanwhile, United moved up to ninth with 13 points, celebrating back-to-back Premier League wins under manager Ruben Amorim for the first time since his appointment last November.
United caught the hosts cold almost immediately. Just 60 seconds into the match, Amad Diallo surged forward and delivered a clever flick into the path of Bryan Mbeumo, who slotted past the keeper with precision from inside the box. The early goal sparked controversy, as Liverpool supporters voiced frustration that play wasn’t halted after Alexis Mac Allister went down clutching his head following a collision with Virgil van Dijk.
Cody Gakpo was Liverpool’s most threatening outlet, striking the post twice in the first half and again just after the interval. Persistence finally paid off in the 78th minute when the Dutch forward poked home Federico Chiesa’s low cross to draw the Reds level.
However, the hosts’ joy was short-lived. Bruno Fernandes lofted a perfect delivery into the box just six minutes later, and Maguire, rising above Ibrahima Konaté, powered a header past Alisson to snatch all three points.
“It means everything,” Maguire told Sky Sports after the match.
“They’ve had the better of us over the last few years and it’s not been good for our club. We haven’t given our fans enough days like today. It’s been a long time coming—coming to this ground and picking up three points.”
Despite Gakpo’s relentless efforts, including a late miss when he headed wide from close range, Liverpool couldn’t find a second breakthrough. Mohamed Salah also failed to make an impact, squandering a golden opportunity at the back post with a misfired shot that summed up his afternoon.
Captain Virgil van Dijk lamented the decisive moment:
“I think we conceded a very sloppy second goal,” he said.
“We worked so hard to get back into the game and created great opportunities, but if you concede like that, it’s disappointing.”
Van Dijk called for calm as Liverpool regroup:
“We need to stay humble and keep working. When things get tough, it’s important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It’s a long season.”
(Reuters/NAN)
