Manchester United’s first win at Anfield in over a decade came thanks to Harry Maguire’s late header, while Liverpool suffered their fourth consecutive defeat.
Cody Gakpo’s strike with 12 minutes remaining appeared to halt Liverpool’s losing streak, only for Maguire to head past Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili six minutes from time.
Gakpo scored from close range after hitting the woodwork three times, but Ruben Amorim’s team pressed on, with Maguire giving a thrilling finish.
United startled Liverpool by grabbing the lead in just two minutes, but it was a contentious moment, with referee Michael Oliver allowing play to continue despite Alexis MacAllister lying prone with a head injury after being elbowed by teammate Virgil van Dijk.
Bryan Mbeumo, who was filling in for the injured Alisson, wasted no time in putting the finishing past Mamardashvili.
In an end-to-end game, United captain Bruno Fernandes squandered an opportunity to double their advantage by shooting wide with the goal at his mercy, while Liverpool’s fortunes were summed up by Gakpo hitting the woodwork twice before the interval and again in the second half in front of The Kop. The Dutchman also headed wide late in the game, when he appeared to have equalized for the second time.
Senne Lammens, United’s new Belgian goalkeeper, also stood out with a save from Alexander Isak as he raced clear.
The second half was action-packed, with Maguire’s late intervention handing United their first Anfield victory since January 2016, while Liverpool have lost four consecutive games for the first time since November 2014, under Brendan Rodgers.
Liverpool’s fourth consecutive loss was unthinkable given how easily they won the Premier League title last season and then capitalized on that achievement by spending nearly £450 million on new players.
The champions have been below par since the start of the season, with a string of spectacular wins grabbed by late goals beginning to fade following this latest defeat, which was inflicted by arch rivals Manchester United at their Anfield fortress.
Liverpool’s defensive frailty has been exposed all season, with United inflicting retribution in less than two minutes, albeit whether referee Oliver should have stopped play for Mac Allister’s head injury is debatable.
Liverpool did not have much luck, hitting the woodwork three times, but they were ponderous and appeared to be out of ideas on too many occasions, and they also felt the anger of their own fans as frustrations built.
