Observations from a disappointing afternoon | Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool
Liverpool made their way to Old Trafford in the best of form as the Premier League's marquee fixture finally lived up to its billing, with the Red Devils emerging 2-1 victors.
Marcus Rashford's first-half brace put Manchester United in command, but Liverpool didn't give up without a fight.
Eric Bailly's calamitous own goal gave Liverpool some hope, but there was to be no further joy for the Reds, as United defended like only a Jose Mourinho side can.
Here are some key highlights …
Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool: Craig Pawson Inspires Utd Win As Controversy Rules All
Games between Liverpool and Manchester United at Old Trafford tend to follow a certain narrative with a free-flowing attacking unit coming up against a double-decker bus. Then there's the referee who's never too far from the headlines.
This game was no different, providing the perfect illustration of a Mourinho-Klopp showdown in an affair dominated by controversy.
The first-half displayed the not-so-impressive side of Liverpool; Dejan Lovren did Dejan Lovren things after spouting his mouth pre-match about forming a formidable partnership …
Why Liverpool's centre-backs need to start defending as a pair
Another game, another avoidable goal conceded and yet two more points dropped.....sound familiar? A game that the Reds having scored the all-important first goal should have won with ease instead turned into another case of deja vu. I wrote earlier this summer that if we didn't sign a top-class centre-half the transfer window would've been a failure and for me it's hard to argue against this, but if we forget the players we haven't got and focus on the ones …
Liverpool vs Manchester United Preview: Big Night Under The Lights
The international break is over, and oh boy is it over. We resume Premier League action with arguably the biggest fixture of the English footballing season. It's Liverpool vs Manchester United. At Anfield. On Monday night. Under the lights.
One word? BOOM!
FORM
Put simply, Liverpool's is better than United's. We're seven games into the league season now, so when you add in cup competitions there's been an adequate level of games to get a good look at either side.
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Are Liverpool Dark Horses for the Title?
It's a new dawn in the Premier League.
Not just in terms of more money than ever being pumped into the league effectively evening the playing field somewhat, but more importantly, never before have people been able to find a collection of the most influential managers in world football today within the same league at the same time. It's a who's who of managers as Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola join Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino, Slaven …