Manchester United’s fight against Liverpool was evident as the Red Devils drew 2-2 with the Reds in a Premier League match at Anfield last Sunday, January 5.
Amidst the speculation about a huge defeat for United, given the wonderful form Liverpool have been in, it was a great result for the Red Devils.
Liverpool stayed at the top of the league table with 46 points in 19 matches, while Manchester United moved up to the 13th position with 23 points from 20 matches.
However, Ruben Amorim should be proud of the way his men fought on the day.
Manchester United Fight Made Possible by a Proper Plan in Place
United made it a point to have bodies behind the ball most of the time. Both Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte were very good as defensive midfielders, winning back the ball repeatedly in the middle third.
Trent Alexander-Arnold moved inside to a central midfield position at times for Liverpool and left-winger Cody Gakpo also moved to his right to crowd the middle of the park, but Mainoo and Ugarte held firm.
Moreover, Diogo Dalot and Lisandro Martinez, Manchester United’s left wing-back and left-side centre-back, respectively, in United’s 3-4-2-1, combined really well to counter the threat posed by Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian still scored his 21st goal of the season through a penalty to equal Thierry Henry’s Premier League tally.
However, Martinez, Dalot and Harry Maguire dealt together with the offensive threat of Salah and Alexander-Arnold. Ugarte stayed back most of the time to deal with the counter-attacking runs of Salah and Luis Diaz.
Moreover, Bruno Fernandes also played his passes to an overlapping Dalot on a few occasions to exploit the space left behind by Alexander-Arnold.
Manchester United’s equalizer also came from a cross by substitute Alejandro Garnacho from the left flank, as Amad obliged by finishing coolly from inside the box.
While Alexander-Arnold remains a considerable offensive threat going forward, his defensive liability is something Real Madrid, his reported next destination, will have to ponder about. Alexander-Arnold had to be replaced by Conor Bradley in the second half.
However, United played with few inhibitions after Liverpool scored their second goal. The way the Red Devils launched one attack after another to keep pressure on the home side was a heartening sight for their supporters.
Had Maguire been able to keep his shot on target in the dying minutes of the match, it might have been a memorable win for the visitors.
Still, the point to ponder for Amorim will be the fact that Garnacho and Amad looked more comfortable attacking through the flanks when Manchester United were chasing the game.
It made them switch to a 3-4-3 from a 3-4-2-1, but playing Fernandes as one of the two holding midfielders does not seem like a good idea either. It is a conundrum Amorim will have to address. Maybe, the 3-4-3 with Fernandes in a midfield-two is only good for them when they are chasing a game.
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The Red Devils Prepare for Another Crucial Fixture
Manchester United will face Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup next Sunday, January 12. Beating the Gunners will not be an easy task, but the way United fought against Liverpool must have given them some confidence.
The quality of their passing has seriously improved under Amorim. With proper planning, United have the ability to get close to a top-six finish by the end of the season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, look the huge favourite to win the title this season with a six-point lead over second-placed Arsenal. Overall, the second half of the ongoing season promises a lot for the spectators.