Manchester United 3, Liverpool 2
Kobbie Mainoo scored a late winner for Manchester United over Liverpool as they qualified for Champions League football next season.
Mainoo, who has just signed a new 5 year deal to stay with the Reds this week, capped off a dramatic game with the winning goal after it seemed United had thrown 2 points away before confirming Champions League football next season with a chaotic win.
Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko had put United 2-0 up within 14 minutes of the start of the game, but Liverpool were level within 11 minutes of the start of the second half after errors by Amad and Senne Lammens allowed Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo to level things up
Bryan Mbeumo hit the post and Lammens cleared off the line but it was Mainoo who had the last word for United.
Liverpool dominated possession but were caught by two early goals by United in the first 15 minutes.
Matheus Cunha was allowed two bites at the cherry when Liverpool failed to deal with a Bryan Mbeumo corner after just 6 minutes, his second effort was deflected past Freddie Woodman to open the scoring.
United scored a second when Bruno Fernandes twice tried to set up Benjamin Sesko and his second effort was finger tipped onto the midriff of the Slovenian and into the back of the Liverpool net.
United were on top but failed to capitalise as they
A mistake by second half substitute Amad allowed Dominik Szoboszlai a free run on goal from half way – the Liverpool man halved the deficit.
Bruno Fernandes laid the ball on for Bryan Mbeumo who flicked the ball against the back post.
That miss came back to haunt United as Lammens’ error – he passed a ball out of defence to Alexis Mac Allister – was returned with interest via Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo before the United defence could react.
With scores level the Reds had to do it all over again but Mainoo came up with the winner – a 77th minute strike from outside the box after Luke Shaw crossed for Amad, Mac Allister cleared the ball only as far as the United midfielder who celebrated his new deal this week with the winning goal from 20 yards out.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 3, Liverpool 2
Senne Lammens: 5. Not much to do in the first half but he did save from Ryan Gravenberch. Poor ball out was punished in the second half after he passed directly to Alexis Mac Allister who created Liverpool’s second goal. Cleared off the line from Virgin Van Dijk after the United defence lost a free kick from Szoboszlai.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Fine support for Bryan Mbeumo but didn’t need to advance too far. Backed off from Dominik Szoboszlai and gave him room to score. Blazed over right at the end.
Harry Maguire: 6. Couple of slips in the first half, turned inside out while retreating by Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool goal, blocked a shot by Cody Gakpo in the second half.
Ayden Heaven: 6. Largely untroubled and covered for Luke Shaw when needed due to the pace of Jeremie Frimpong. Lived dangerously though.
Luke Shaw: 6. Booked for his battles with Jeremie Frimpong. His cross led to the winning goal as Liverpool could not deal with it.
Casemiro: 7. Got stuck in and fans cheered loudly after taking out Curtis Jones after he threatened to break through. Couldn’t stop Dominik Szoboszlai or Cody Gakpo going on runs in the second half. Up and over set United free in the second half but concentrated on defending in the second half after United blew their lead.
Kobbie Mainoo: 8. Always in space and put United back into the lead with a 20 yard shot after Liverpool failed to clear a cross.
Bryan Mbeumo: 7. Set pieces and crosses very good. Started the move for the first goal from his dangerous corner and got stuck in when he needed to hold on to the ball. Cheeky back heel hit the post in the second half.
Bruno Fernandes: 8. Trying to match the assist record from the start, sent Benjamin Sesko clean through early on and almost got it after 14 minutes but for fingertips from Freddie Woodman but Sesko scored anyway. Shot wide from 12 yards out when Mbeumo set him up from the right. Another attempt to assist in the second half turned against the post by Bryan Mbeumo while Casemiro’s header was straight at Freddie Woodman.
Matheus Cunha: 7. Early goal at the second attempt after Liverpool blocked his first shot. Fought for the ball.
Benjamin Sesko: 7. Offside when a very good chance from Bruno Fernandes came to him. Was clean through but denied by Freddie Woodman minutes later before he bundled the ball over the line after Woodman had got fingers to Bruno Fernandes’ header across goal.
Amad (on for Benjamin Sesko): 5. Gave the ball away on half way for a solo goal by Dominik Szoboszlai. Won the cross from Luke Shaw but couldn’t do much with it.
Patrick Dorgu (on for Bryan Mbeumo, 76): No time to mark.
Joshua Zirkzee (on for Natheus Cunha, 87): No time to mark
Leny Yoro (on for Bruno Fernandes, 90+5): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester United 3, Liverpool 2
Man Utd 1, Liverpool 0: 6. Matheus Cunha opens the scoring after his initial shot was blocked by Ryan Gravenberch from the corner by Bryan Mbeumo – a long range effort from the Cunha deflected off the back of Alexis Mac Allister to beat Freddie Woodman. Cue mad celebrations in Old Trafford.
Man Utd 2, Liverpool 0: 14. Bruno Fernandes’ header was palmed away by Freddie Woodman only as far as Benjamin Sesko who appeared to palm it in after it bounced off his thigh but VAR had a lengthy check for handball before giving the goal – allowing United fans the chance to celebrate twice. No assist for Bruno though.
Man Utd 2, Liverpool 1: 47. Dominik Szobosklai was allowed to free rein to run at the United defence and score after a loose pass from Amad was seized by the Liverpool man and the United defence backed off him.
Man Utd 2, Liverpool 2: 56. Cody Gakpo finished off a neat 3 pass move when Senne Lammens’ ball out was intercepted and Dominik Szoboszlai laid the ball off for Gakpo to finish with no United defenders able to react.
Man Utd 3, Liverpool 2: 77. Kobbie Mainoo’s strike from outside the box puts United back in the lead after a poor attempt to clear the ball by Alexis Mac Allister after Luke Shaw crossed into the box.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Liverpool 2
Man Utd: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Mbeumo (Dorgu 76), Fernandes (C), Cunha (Zirkzee 87), Sesko (Amad 46)
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Mount, Zirkzee, Malacia, Yoro, Ugarte
Bookings: Shaw 49 (foul on Jeremie Frimpong); Fernandes 81 (foul)
Goals: Cunha 6; Sesko 14; Mainoo 77
Liverpool: Woodman, Jones, Konate (Chiesa 87), Van Dijk, Robertson (Kerkez 59), Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Frimpong (Ngumoha 75), Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo
Liverpool Subs not used: Pecsi, Gomez, Nyoni, Morrison, Ndiaye, Wright
Bookings: Jones 75 (foul on Matheus Cunha); Gakpo 85 (foul on Casemiro)
Goals: Szoboszlai 47; Gakpo 56
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 74,027