The 20th round of the English Premier League saw Liverpool and Manchester United battle to an exciting 2-2 draw. Despite being considered underdogs due to the gap in form and quality, United delivered one of their best performances of the season.
Even with their strong showing, United extended their winless streak at Anfield to 10 matches across all competitions, with five draws and five losses. However, their two goals in this game matched their total tally from their last ten visits to Liverpool’s home ground.
United Show Resilience, Liverpool Still Eyeing Title
Coach Arne Slot’s side lacked energy and focus at times, but United’s goals pushed them to respond. While Liverpool may have lost the tactical battle momentarily, the result brings them a step closer to their goal of winning the Premier League.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Struggles Defensively
Manchester United frequently attacked from the left side, targeting Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had a tough day. His errors led to both United goals, and he lost possession in dangerous areas. Speculation about his future, potentially involving Real Madrid, seemed to affect his focus.
Data showed that 54% of United’s attacks came from the left side, while only 28.1% were from the right. Additionally, 55% of United’s attacking touches were in the left third of the pitch. Lisandro Martinez, operating as a left-back, scored United’s first goal, becoming the first United player to score at Anfield since Jesse Lingard in 2018. The second goal also originated from the left side.
Real Madrid may reconsider pursuing the England full-back after this poor defensive display. Liverpool might need to start thinking about finding a long-term replacement, as Alexander-Arnold’s performance worked in United’s favor.
Despite being substituted, Alexander-Arnold lost possession 25 times, the most of any player in the match. It marked one of the worst individual performances by a Liverpool player this season.
