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Liverpool welcomed Manchester United to Anfield for their midweek Premier League clash on Tuesday night (19 April). Jurgen Klopp's team were looking to build on their 3-2 FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City last Sunday (17 April). To no one’s surprise, the Reds dominated proceedings on Merseyside, bagging a thoroughly convincing 4-0 win over their arch-rivals.
Mohamed Salah bagged a brace while Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz each scored a goal apiece to ensure a comfortable win for the title chasers. Following the victory at Anfield, the Merseyside giants moved atop the standings, opening up a two-point lead over Manchester City. The holders, however, have a game in hand over the 19-time English champions.
Determined to hurt Manchester United from start to finish, the Reds came out with a vengeance. Just five minutes into the game, they broke the deadlock, courtesy of Salah’s inch-perfect cut-back and Diaz’s clinical close-range finish. Ten minutes later, Mane had a go at goal, but his effort was somehow deflected behind by United skipper Harry Maguire. In the 22nd minute, the provider turned scorer, with Salah converting from close range after being played through on goal by a magical Mane pass.
The hosts witnessed a dip in intensity in the opening quarter of the second half, which allowed United to string a few meaningful passes. Unfortunately, the visitors’ joy was not meant to be sustained for long. In the 68th minute, Mane produced a delightful left-footed, first-time finish to take the wind out of Manchester United’s sails. Following Liverpool’s third, it was once again one-way traffic at Anfield.
Salah, who was clearly in the mood, bagged his second goal of the night in the 85th minute, beating Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s resistance. Overall, it was a thoroughly convincing display from the home team, one that showed the current gulf in quality between the two English giants.
Here are five Liverpool stars who ripped the Red Devils to pieces on a triumphant night on Merseyside:
#5 Andy Robertson
The Reds’ ever-reliable left-back enjoyed a fine outing against his side’s arch-rivals. Andy Robertson's passing was great, he kept things neat and tidy at the back and also created goalscoring chances for his teammates.
The Scotland international also pickpocketed Anthony Elanga in the 68th minute to instigate a Liverpool counter-attack, which led to Mane’s goal.
Against Manchester United, Robertson completed 78 passes with a 90.7 percent accuracy, played three key passes, attempted two tackles, and made an interception.
Another solid all-round performance from the great Scot.
#4 Luis Diaz
Since his £37.5 million transfer from Porto in January, Luis Diaz has become an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side. Instead of being overwhelmed by the frantic pace of the Premier League, he has made it his own. At first glance, it is impossible to tell that the Colombian moved to the country only three months prior.
A live wire in every sense of the phrase, Diaz tormented Manchester United for the enitre 70 minutes he was on the pitch. He opened the scoring from an inviting Mohamed Salah pass in the fifth minute, sweeping the ball past David de Gea. He scored another in the second half, but it was ruled out for offside.
In his closing act, he set up Mane for the Reds’ third goal in the 68th minute, drilling a low cross inside the United box and catching everyone off-guard. A couple of minutes after providing the assist, Diaz was subbed off for Diogo Jota, who ended up assisting Liverpool’s fourth goal.
Overall, the former Porto man scored once, assisted another, made a key pass, and won three duels against the Old Trafford outfit.
#3 Thiago Alcantara
Former Bayern Munich man Thiago Alcantara neither scored nor assisted on Tuesday night, but he was quite easily one of the Reds' best players.
His distribution was impeccable, he carried the ball forward with grace, won most of his battles, and created plenty of goalscoring chances.
Against Manchester United, Thiago completed a whopping 108 passes with 95.6 percent accuracy. He also accurately delivered all six of his long balls. His dribbling, too, was on point, with the Spaniard succeeding in all three of his dribbling attempts.
Additionally, the central midfielder won seven of his nine ground duels, attempted three tackles, made a couple of interceptions, and blocked a shot.
A midfield masterclass by the 31-year-old maestro.
#2 Sadio Mane
With Diaz taking the left-wing, Sadio Mane primarily operated down the middle. The Senegalese looked like a natural in a more central position, linking up effortlessly with teammates and popping up with decisive goal contributions.
In the 22nd minute, Sadio Mane produced a gem of a lobbed through-ball to bypass the Manchester United defense and find Salah inside the box. The Egypt international took care of the rest to put his side 2-0 up.
The AFCON winner’s second-half goal was also a thing of beauty. Diaz did superbly to find Mane inside the United area, but the former Southampton star's first-time, left-footed finish was spellbinding.
Mane also played a key pass, won three duels, and completed 49 passes with 90.7 percent accuracy.
#1 Mohamed Salah
Following a relatively quiet couple of months, Mohamed Salah finally produced a top-drawer performance in the Premier League. On Tuesday night, the Egypt international looked hungry and committed to the cause, always fishing for opportunities to punish Manchester United.
Salah assisted Diaz’s fifth-minute opener before applying a deft finishing touch to Mane’s 22nd-minute threaded through ball.
He endured a quieter second half, but came to life five minutes from the full-time whistle when Diogo Jota played him through on goal. Wan-Bissaka tried to get a block in, but Salah’s strike ended up looping over De Gea and slotting into the back of the net.
Following last night’s performance, the Egyptian now has 22 Premier League goals and 12 assists, making him the division’s leading scorer and joint-leading assist provider.
