Player Ratings: Liverpool 0 – 0 Manchester United

Pogba seen here NOT doing the dab

Liverpool vs Manchester United was the kind of match that experts the world over will call a 'chess match'. For you and me, that translates to Oh My Good Lord that was so damn boring!

In the end, though Mourinho walked away with the air of a man who had gained one point, while Klopp's rueful smile showed that he thought of this as two points dropped.

Forget the managers for a minute, though, let's take a look at how the players performed -


Liverpool

Herrera and Lallana were excellent for their respective teams

Loris Karius – 5/10

Shaky, and unsteady, Karius was a poor man's Simon Mignolet on the night. He flapped at crosses, looked uncertain under pressure and made one or two extremely dangerous passes out from the back. He would have been punished if the United frontline had been even a notch better than what they were.

Nathaniel Clyne – 5/10

The right back was unusually quiet going forward today, but most of that was down to Ashley Young's diligent tracking back. He was good defensively though, and gave United absolutely no joy on his flank.

Joel Matip – 6/10

Matip did what Matip does – stay strong at the back, get bored when no-one's attacking and foray forward, and generally dominate in the air. He played a couple of really nice through balls and looked dangerous whenever he moved forward.

Dejan Lovren – 6/10

Solid, unspectacular and very good defensively – the Croat was everything that his manager asked him to be. He kept Zlatan Ibrahimovic quiet and that is no mean feat.

James Milner (Off 86') – 5.5/10

The total footballer was not at his best on the night. He was roasted a couple of times by Marcus Rashford early on, but, the stand-in left back recovered well enough to perform his defensive duties while bombing forward regularly, but he couldn't create the kind of chances that he should have.

Emre Can – 5/10

Coming into the team in place of the injured Wijnaldum, Can looked rusty, naturally, and made errors defensively and misplaced a number of passes. He did very well to force De Gea into a save, but with Smalling clinging on to his shirt like a little girl does her father's, he might have been better served to go for the penalty appeal.

Jordan Henderson – 4.5/10

The captain, such a force in the early stages of this season, was all but invisible as a midfield presence and did nothing good going forward.

Philippe Coutinho – 7.5/10

The Brazilian was a livewire and grew into the game as it went on. He was the one player in Merseyside red that no one in the United team could get a pin on, and he was the only player on either side who looked capable of forcing a result. He would have, if not for David De Gea's saves. Easily the most creative player on the pitch

Sadio Mane – 5/10

Much touted to succeed against the not-so-pacy Daley Blind, the Senegalese winger/striker did nothing. He was off-colour and was shackled by the experience and patience of Blind and Young on Liverpool's right.

Daniel Sturridge (Off 60') – 4/10

The striker looked clueless and bereft of ideas in this Liverpool side which looks so much more comfortable in a 4-3-3. He wasn't on the same wavelengths as his teammates and did very little of the ball to create space

Roberto Firmino (Off 85') – 6/10

The winger/striker ran willingly – like he always does – but was afforded absolutely no space, and couldn't create any. Made good runs though, especially after Lallana came on, and he was moved to a more advanced position.

Substitutes

Adam Lallana (On 60') – 7/10

The first 60 matches served to underline the Englishman's importance to Liverpool, and the moment he came on to the field, Liverpool became a better team. His off the ball movement and positional intelligence is integral to the way the Merseysiders play.

Divock Origi (On 85') - NA

Alberto Moreno (On 86') - NA

Both the subs came on too late to have any serious impact on the match

Manchester United

Dave Saves. ‘Nuff said

David De Gea – 8/10

The Spaniard was immense for United. He produced two saves of stunning quality – off Can and Coutinho. The Coutinho one especially was a notch above. Kept United in the game, and exuded a calm authority that permeated his entire backline

Antonio Valencia – 7/10

The Ecuadorian was superb on the night – the tackle on Firmino that denied the Brazilian a shooting opportunity alone makes him eligible for the rating. He defended well, attacked with pace and put in dangerous looking crosses. Unfortunately for him, no one was at the end of any of these crosses.

Eric Bailly – 6.5/10

Stood tall in the center of defence, and did what he had to do. Strong, fast and with a calm head on those young shoulders, he looks to be someone Manchester United can build a future on.

Chris Smalling – 5.5/10

Apart from that shirt-tug on Can that should have been penalised, the Englishman was a solid and dependable presence at the back throughout.

Daley Blind – 6/10

The Left back did superbly to put Mane in a strangle hold – using all his experience, and positional awareness, to neutralise the threat to perfection. Couldn't offer much going forward though and apart from a couple of well-overhit crosses didn't do anything moving forward

Ander Herrera – 8/10

Most passes in the game (50), most take-ons in the game (5, with a 100% record), most interceptions in the league this season (11)

The Spaniard was the best outfield player on the pitch, controlling the game and protecting United like a terrier. The stats just serve to back it up.

Marouane Fellaini – 6/10

The Belgian was given a job – to bully and harass Liverpool's midfield, and he did that to perfection. He was given the run around a couple of times by Coutinho but mostly held his ground.

Ashley Young (off 92') – 6/10

Make no mistake, Mourinho was going for the draw right from the drop of the hat. His selection of Ashley Young merely validated that. Given the onerous task of protecting his flank against Liverpool's speed merchants, he did his job to the t. Did absolutely nothing going forward though.

Paul Pogba – 4/10

Given the freedom of the park, Pogba failed to turn up. His decision making was iffy at best, atrocious at worst. Sure he had a couple of good touches, and created United's best chance when his cross found Zlatan at the far post – but it certainly looks like he is trying too much, and trying to do it all himself.

Marcus Rashford (Off 77') – 5/10

His pace was always going to bother Milner, and it certainly was the case on the night, but the youngster couldn't produce much by the way of end product. Asked to hug the right touchline, he couldn't display his finishing prowess either – time to move him to the centre, maybe

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 4.5/10

Starved of service, and isolated in the Liverpool half for much of the game, it is harsh to have expected the 35-year-old to create much, but such is the level of expectations every time he steps on to the pitch. Couldn't create anything, and unusually fluffed his lines when he tamely headed a golden chance well away from the target.

Wayne Rooney (on 77')– 5/10

Stuck to his task well and played the role of right wingback well enough as United shut up shop. Couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness though. Right wing-back. How the mighty have fallen

Luke Shaw (on 92') – NA

A bit of time-wasting, that, from Mourinho

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