Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool: Super sub Adam Lallana rescues point for Liverpool at Old Trafford after Marcus Rashford's goal appeared to have won it for Manchester United amid VAR controversy

  • Manchester United opened the scoring after Marcus Rashford finished Dan James' fine cross into the box
  • The goal was scored in dubious circumstances as Divock Origi was fouled but VAR did not intervene 
  • Sadio Mane equalised for Liverpool but VAR intervened again to rule out the goal for a handball 
  • Liverpool struggled all afternoon to find a way through a resolute 3-5-2 formation deployed by United 
  • The Premier League leaders finally broke through in the 85th minute as Adam Lallana tapped home  

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The worry for Manchester United is that this may be just about as good as it can currently be. Almost a victory. Almost the best performance of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign. Almost better than last season at Paris St Germain. Almost but not quite.

Only five minutes of normal time were left when Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson received the ball down his side. All afternoon, United had kept one of their opponents’ most dangerous attacking outlets pinned in his own half on the back of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s clever tactics. All afternoon they had kept Liverpool at bay.

But at the death United faltered. Robertson’s low cross was decent but had to bypass three United defenders to reach its target. For reasons perhaps only they know, nobody took responsibility and when the ball found Adam Lallana on his own at the far post the Liverpool substitute buried it in the corner.

A late Adam Lallana goal earned Liverpool a point at Old Trafford as the league leaders shared the spoils with Man United

A late Adam Lallana goal earned Liverpool a point at Old Trafford as the league leaders shared the spoils with Man United

Liverpool had struggled to find a way through a resolute United defence before Lallana guided home a cross for his side

 Liverpool had struggled to find a way through a resolute United defence before Lallana guided home a cross for his side

Marcus Rashford latched onto a fine Dan James cross in emphatic fashion to put Manchester United in front at Old Trafford

Marcus Rashford latched onto a fine Dan James cross in emphatic fashion to put Manchester United in front at Old Trafford

It was Rashford's fourth goal of the season for Manchester United and was a huge relief for the youngster who has struggled

It was Rashford's fourth goal of the season for Manchester United and was a huge relief for the youngster who has struggled

Rashford celebrates with Ashley Young and Andreas Pereira after ending his goalscoring drought against the league leaders

Rashford celebrates with Ashley Young and Andreas Pereira after ending his goalscoring drought against the league leaders

MATCH FACTS

Manchester United (3-5-2): De Gea; Maguire, Lindelof, Rojo; Young, Fred, McTominay, Pereira (Williams 90+4), Wan-Bisakka; James, Rashford (Martial 84)

Subs not used: Garner, Greenwood, Mata, Rojo, Romero

Booked: N/A

Goals: Rashford (37)

Manager: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum (Keita 82); Mane, Firmino, Origi (Oxlade-Chamberlain 60)

Subs not used: Gomez, Lallana, Lovren, Milner, Adrian

Booked: Fabinho

Goals: Lallana (85)

Manager: Jurgen Klopp

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Stadium: Old Trafford

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So a result to change the direction of a season and to change the mood of a football club instead became another illustration of United’s limitations. Solskjaer’s team played well here. They were better for a long period against a strangely tepid, out of sorts Liverpool team.


But ultimately they didn’t see it through. In the second half they contained Liverpool relatively comfortably but had almost no touches in their opponents’ penalty area. The full-time statistics showed two shots on target, one was Marcus Rashford’s goal and the other was a low 20-yard shot from Scott McTominay that Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson knelt to save comfortably.

Perhaps that is where United are under Solskjaer. A club that has been telling people recently they chose from a list of 804 right-backs before realising there was a decent one playing at Crystal Palace continue to field a team that struggles to hurt people when it really matters.

Had they been a little more potent with the ball, United would have won this. This was their chance. Liverpool’s strangely weak showing coupled with United’s intensity and hard work and Solskjaer’s decision to field a 3-5-2 formation that kept Robertson and right-back Trent Alexander Arnold pinned in deep positions gave the home team an ascendency in the first half that they could never have dreamed of.

But ultimately it was Liverpool who went home feeling that momentum remains with them, despite the end of a long winning run.

VAR determined that Liverpool attacker Divock Origi was not fouled in the build up to United's opening goal

VAR determined that Liverpool attacker Divock Origi was not fouled in the build up to United's opening goal

Sadio Mane stroked the ball past David De Gea late on in the first half to level the scores but VAR intervened once again

Sadio Mane stroked the ball past David De Gea late on in the first half to level the scores but VAR intervened once again

Mane's goal didn't stand as the Video Assistant Referee deemed that the striker handled the ball when through on goal

Mane's goal didn't stand as the Video Assistant Referee deemed that the striker handled the ball when through on goal

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was visibly angered at the use of VAR by the officials and expressed his fury to Jon Moss

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was visibly angered at the use of VAR by the officials and expressed his fury to Jon Moss

Experienced referee Martin Atkinson points to his wrist watch as he is advised to rule out Sadio Mane's equaliser for Liverpool

Experienced referee Martin Atkinson points to his wrist watch as he is advised to rule out Sadio Mane's equaliser for Liverpool

Season at a glance

  • Premier League
  • Premier League
  • Championship
  • League One
  • League Two
  • Scottish Premiership
  • Scottish Div 1
  • Scottish Div 2
  • Scottish Div 3
  • Ligue 1
  • Serie A
  • La Liga
  • Bundesliga

Liverpool headed back down the East Lancs knowing they can and will play better. United may well look ahead to visits to Belgrade and Norwich later this week and worry what will happen if either opposition have the temerity to score.

Here United’s goal was controversial and for a long time looked as though it would prove to be the story of the day. McTominay fed Daniel James down the right in the 35th minute and when he crossed beautifully in to that area that terrifies goalkeepers, Rashford poked the ball in from six yards.

It was a classic United counter-attacking goal. At least it was until it became apparent that it had started with what looked like a foul.

As the VAR officials examined footage of what appeared to be a kick to the back of Divok Origi’s calf by Victor Lindelof before McTominay picked up possession, it seemed very possible that the goal would not stand. But the contact was not deemed significant enough and after a short delay United were ahead.

Solskjaer later described the challenge as a ‘light touch’ and added that football is a ‘man’s game’. The United manager was right but had that challenge been made in the box, a penalty would probably have been given.

Manchester United displayed an unfamiliar 3-5-2 in a bid to suppress the attacking threat of league leaders Liverpool

Manchester United displayed an unfamiliar 3-5-2 in a bid to suppress the attacking threat of league leaders Liverpool

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino rolls over after blazing an effort into the Stretford End in the early stages of the game

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino rolls over after blazing an effort into the Stretford End in the early stages of the game

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp barks out instructions to Andy Robertson as they looked to break down a new look United

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp barks out instructions to Andy Robertson as they looked to break down a new look United

So VAR continues to confuse us all and this time United were on the right end of it as they were when Sadio Mane beat David de Gea at the Stretford End just before half-time only to be denied when the VAR officials spotted a handball.

That was the right call and Klopp sprinted to the tunnel at the break with rage in his soul and new plans to draw up.

Liverpool – missing Mo Salah and therefor short of craft – played with Origi through the middle in the second half and when that didn’t work the Belgian was replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Lallana, another substitute, was introduced with 19 minutes left and Klopp’s use of substitutes was just as influential as its looks on paper.

Alisson Becker was back between the sticks for Liverpool as he returned from a lengthy injury spell to play at Old Trafford

Alisson Becker was back between the sticks for Liverpool as he returned from a lengthy injury spell to play at Old Trafford

Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool saw a long range effort saved comfortably by United keeper David De Gea at Old Trafford

Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool saw a long range effort saved comfortably by United keeper David De Gea at Old Trafford

Liverpool are penalised after Virgil van Dijk drags down Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford

Liverpool are penalised after Virgil van Dijk drags down Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford

Manchester United winger Dan James required medical assistance after being winded in a collision with Virgil van Dijk

Manchester United winger Dan James required medical assistance after being winded in a collision with Virgil van Dijk

£80million summer signing Harry Maguire and Marcos Rojo worked hard to quell the threat of star man Sadio Mane

£80million summer signing Harry Maguire and Marcos Rojo worked hard to quell the threat of star man Sadio Mane

Slowly Liverpool improved but it was marginal. United held firm and occasionally broke from deep. Rashford drove one shot narrowly wide from 18 yards and was terrific all afternoon. There were glimpses here of what the United forward can do when his blood is up and he feels confident enough to run directly at opponents. Solskjaer must draw more of this from the 21–year-old if his team are to improve their wretched scoring record.

Unusually, Klopp’s team had themselves only made one good chance all day – Roberto Firmino shooting weakly at De Gea shortly before Rashford’s goal – and were simply not good enough for huge swathes of the game. Salah’s absence really should not hinder them like it did here, nor should an opponent’s desire to sit deep and work frustrate them. At times – as strange as it sounds when discussing such a free scoring team - Liverpool do look short of a safebreaker.

Eventually it was not so much pressure that told as much as it was time. United’s levels of concentration had been terrific all afternoon but at the death they failed them and for the five minutes of added time they were hanging on.

Ultimately a relatively positive afternoon yielded just a point and Manchester United are 13th in the Premier League.

It was a frustrating afternoon for the Liverpool boss as his side struggled to unlock a compact and organised defence

It was a frustrating afternoon for the Liverpool boss as his side struggled to unlock a compact and organised defence