Manchester United stopped Liverpool from taking the opportunity to surpass Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League table following a thrilling 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Luis Diaz netted the opener for the visitors in the first half, giving Liverpool the lead at halftime. However, Bruno Fernandes equalised for Man United with a stunning long-range strike early in the second half. Kobbie Mainoo then scored a superb goal to put the Red Devils ahead in the 67th minute, but that was not enough for another impressive win over big rivals. A late penalty awarded to Liverpool, converted by Mohamed Salah, secured a point for the visitors after a clumsy challenge from Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Here is what we learned from this match.
Ten Hag’s Tactics Somehow Yield Result
Erik ten Hag’s strategy in this Premier League encounter raised eyebrows, to say the least. Opting for a man-marking system seemed to backfire for United on numerous occasions. It seemed evident to everyone except Ten Hag himself that this tactic was ineffective, leaving many observers puzzled. But despite that, United somehow managed to finish this match unbeaten, salvaging a point in what is now characteristically chaotic fashion. Liverpool had 28 shots to Man United’s nine. They had seven shots on target, 62 per cent of possession and, most importantly, their expected goals amounted to 3.67, compared to meagre 0.70 from United. Yet, United took the most out of Liverpool’s defensive frailties that have made them struggle so often this season, whilst the visitors also repeated the same problems in front of the goal as in the FA Cup quarterfinal match from three weeks ago.
Bruno Can Be Brilliant, But Also Annoying
Throughout the match, Man United’s captain displayed a concerning lack of composure in possession. Especially during the dismal first half, Bruno consistently squandered possession. This is something we know he can have a problem with, as that was the case from the era of before his arrival at Old Trafford in 2020. But despite being one of the poorest performers on the pitch, he managed to ignite Man United’s momentum with a moment of pure brilliance which got the Devils back into the game. While his erratic play can be frustrating, Bruno Fernandes proves his worth to United with flashes of individual genius like the goal he scored on Sunday.
Kambwala Does Well At A Crucial Time
Manchester United, akin to numerous Premier League teams, find themselves mired in an injury dilemma. It could be said the Devils have the worst injury crisis, as the defensive line is so ravaged, Ten Hag has to keep playing with the right-footed full-backs and be creative about his centre-backs. Harry Maguire was the sole fit senior center-back in the squad ahead of this match and consequently, Ten Hag had no choice but to entrust Frenchman Willy Kambwala with a daunting challenge – handling Darwin Nunez. Kambwala rose to the occasion admirably, showcasing brilliance throughout the match and rightfully earning praise for his performance.
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