Liverpool and Manchester United play out goalless draw at Anfield

Match reportLiverpool and Manchester United play out goalless draw at Anfield

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By Glenn Price at Anfield

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Anfield's largest attendance since February 1963 witnessed Liverpool and Manchester United play out a goalless draw on Sunday afternoon.

With the expanded upper tier of the Anfield Road Stand open for the first time, 57,158 spectators watched as the fierce rivals were unable to be separated in the Premier League clash.

United played out the final few minutes with 10 men after Diogo Dalot had been dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Team news

Ibrahima Konate’s inclusion was the only change to the Liverpool XI that started the comeback victory at Crystal Palace the previous weekend.

Alisson, Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz (Jones, 78), Szoboszlai (Gomez, 61), Nunez (Elliott, 78), Salah, Tsimikas, Gravenberch (Gakpo, 61), Alexander-Arnold.

Unused subs: Adrian, Kelleher, McConnell, Quansah, Bradley.

First half

Attacking the Kop, the Reds harnessed the raucous atmosphere to fly out of the blocks.

A penalty-area scramble that ensued following Kostas Tsimikas' free-kick from the right was eventually cleared by Sofyan Amrabat in the nick of time, before Darwin Nunez was unable to redirect Mohamed Salah's off-target shot from a corner.

United's first venture forward ended with Alejandro Garnacho curling well wide as dominance from the hosts would continue.

Trent Alexander-Arnold stood up a cross to the back post that found the rising Nunez. Andre Onana looked to gather Nunez's header back across goal, failing but then managing to deflect Salah's follow-up behind.

Liverpool threatened from corners in minutes 28 and 36; Virgil van Dijk's header was pushed over the bar by Onana, with Konate unable to keep an effort down.

Salah dragged a shot from the edge of the box that was easily saved by Onana in the final opportunity of the half.

Second half

Alexander-Arnold was involved at both ends during the opening phases of the second period.

The vice-captain danced into the United penalty area, drifting past Luke Shaw and Amrabat, but ended with a finish into the side-netting.

He then tracked back and produced an important tackle to stop Garnacho from threatening Alisson Becker's goal after the attacker had been sent through on goal by Kobbie Mainoo.

Shortly after Onana easily caught a curler from Salah, the United goalkeeper could only watch as Alexander-Arnold's side-foot whip went just past the post.

With 67 minutes on the clock, Alisson was called into action properly for the first time, making himself big to smother a hit from Rasmus Hojlund inside the box.

Salah looked to bend another into the far corner but that was pushed out by Onana as the affair had massively opened up by this point.

Nunez was sent into the United penalty area following a quick restart and even though he lost control of his dribble, Luis Diaz stormed in to get a shot away that was directed behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Konate impressively spun and poked an effort towards Onana.

The Reds had a penalty appeal for handball against Shaw turned down ahead of Joe Gomez driving into the box and finding the wrong side of the net with his finish.

Cody Gakpo glanced a header over as United dug in to preserve the point after Dalot had been sent off in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Attendance: 57,158

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