- Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool
- Rashford nets double (14, 24)
- Bailly nets comical own-goal (66)
- Pogba not in squad
- Rashford, Mata, Bailly return
- Milner for Henderson
‘I don’t care if people don’t think we deserved it’
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports: “We can split the halves – United first half and Liverpool second but in my opinion our first half was a half with goals and danger.
“In the second half – in my opinion, and probably the people in the studio have a different opinion – was Liverpool controlling with the ball and United controlling without the ball.
“Our team was always in control. Even in set pieces, corners, dangerous situations we were in control so I think we deserved it.
“Against Liverpool if you play bad when you have the ball you can be in trouble. In the second half it was not our intention – I cannot say this was the plan. Liverpool pushed us into defensive situation but we kept control. It was a complete performance by us with two different halves.
“If people don’t think we deserved it, I don’t care.
“I am a bit tired, we have a match on Tuesday. I don’t care what people say. The boys are happy, I’m happy.”
‘The human brain is a complex thing’
Jose Mourinho, speaking to Match of the Day he said, “We were quite aggressive in the first half, we wanted to have control of the game, spaces for transition and try to exploit – not weaknesses – but points where the opponent is not so good.
“The second half it was not our intention to be as defensive as we were. Liverpool pushed us back but I don’t remember the chances that need David de Gea to make the goal safe. I don’t remember a dangerous situation to our goal. It was control by them having the ball and control by us without the ball. I think we deserved the three points.”
Good preparation for Champions League? “The three games in the league, the Champions League and the FA Cup are independent events, with no relation to the next match. The human brain is a complex thing. The defeat leaves a bit of damage and victory makes happiness even if you are fatigued.
“The best thing was to win this match.”
Jose Mourinho on Paul Pogba: “He was injured in the last minute of the last training session before the game. Incredible. If I finished the training session one minute before he would have been OK.
“Marcus Rashford and McTominay – one scored two goals, special for a kid who feels the shirt in a special way because he was born here.
“McTominay played with such class and maturity. He really impressed me because the crowd can push with their hearts and even when they were pushing him to do the wrong thing, he did the right thing.”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to Sky Sports: “We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or a challenge with Romelu Lukaku of course but there is a gap in behind and we need to close that.
“The two goals made the game not easy, we had a lot of OK moments, two good moments in the first half where we could finish better. We didn’t score before half time and then in the second half we chased the game. It is really difficult to do against a team like Manchester United.
“It was a clear penalty with Fellaini on Mane, in situations like this you need the right decision.
“It is all about the result and we lost.”
Not bad for a bad touch…
United forward Marcus Rashford, speaking to Sky Sports: “These are always big games. It is very tight battling for second position and we want to make sure we get that spot.
“It is partly about patience but you have to take your chance when it comes.
“My first touch was actually a bad touch, I couldn’t finish it in my stride.
“I didn’t know Gareth Southgate was here! It was nice that he was here to watch but there are a lot of players in contention. He keeps in contact with us and let us know where we are at.”
PLAYER RATINGS AFTER THE MATCH DAY
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Valencia (6), Bailly (6), Smalling (7), Young (8), McTominay (6), Matic (6), Mata (6), Rashford (8), Sanchez (6), Lukaku (7).
Subs: Romero (6), Darmian (6), Lindelof (6), Shaw (6), Fellaini (6), Carrick (6), Lingard (6).
Liverpool: Karius (5), Alexander-Arnold (5), Lovren (5), Van Dijk (5), Robertson (6), Milner (5), Can (5), Oxlade-Chamberlain (5), Salah (6), Mane (5), Firmino (5).
Subs: Wijnaldum (5), Lallana (5), Solanke (5).
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to Sky Sports: “We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or a challenge with Romelu Lukaku of course but there is a gap in behind and we need to close that.
“The two goals made the game not easy, we had a lot of OK moments, two good moments in the first half where we could finish better. We didn’t score before half time and then in the second half we chased the game. It is really difficult to do against a team like Manchester United.
“It was a clear penalty with Fellaini on Mane, in situations like this you need the right decision.
“It is all about the result and we lost.”
MAN UTD 2-1 LIVERPOOL
United see it out! They were hanging on at times in the second half but their defence held strong. Rashford’s first-half double proved the difference. A Bailly own-goal gave Liverpool hope but it’s United that bag the bragging rights. They go five points clear of Liverpool…!
MAN UTD 2-1 LIVERPOOL
United see it out! They were hanging on at times in the second half but their defence held strong. Rashford’s first-half double proved the difference. A Bailly own-goal gave Liverpool hope but it’s United that bag the bragging rights. They go five points clear of Liverpool…!
GOAL! MAN UTD 2-1 LIVERPOOL (Bailly OG, 66)
Klopp’s men are back in this – and Bailly won’t want to see this one again in a hurry.
It is of no consolation to Eric Bailly but he has just scored one of the most skillful own goals I have seen in a long time.
Sadio Mane’s burst of pace down the left opens up space for a cross, and his ball in is flicked by Eric Bailly with his back leg into his own goal to grab what is otherwise a deserved goal back for Liverpool.
GOOAAL!!
MAN UTD 2-0 LIVERPOOL (Rashford, 24)
It probably should be 1-1….but it’s now 2-0! What a opening 24 minutes for the striker!
Another long ball is won by Lukaku above Lovren and Mata skips through on goal. He can’t get his shot away but it drops out to Rashford at a tight angle. The youngster keeps his shot low, it takes a slight deflection and Karius can’t keep it out. United in dreamland.
Liverpool can’t deal with Romelu Lukaku! Another long ball up top is brought down by the big Belgian, he feeds in Juan Mata and while he is tackled, the ball runs into the path of Marcus Rashford on the left of the area.
You’d have to say Loris Karius is out of position as Rashford’s shot skims into the net off the heel of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
A bit of luck but clinical stuff from the England man.
GOOAALL!!!
Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool
Marcus Rashford
Wooosh! Out of nothing! What a great finish from Marcus Rashford!
You don’t get more route one than that though, David de Gea’s goal-kick is headed on by Romelu Lukaku, Rashford runs on to it, cuts inside Trent Alexander-Arnold and flashes a drive into the far corner.
Five touches from De Gea to goal!
How they line up
Man Utd v Liverpool (1:30 pm)
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Just the one change to a fairly settled Liverpool team these days – James Milner is in (as captain) instead of Jordan Henderson.
Liverpool: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner, Can, Salah, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Wijnaldum, Gomez, Henderson, Lallana, Mignolet, Solanke, Matip.
‘I don’t know how long Pogba is out’
Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports: “I trust Juan Mata’s experience to move into areas to connect, he is very intelligent. Liverpool are a fast team in counter attack so the more times we lose the ball the more chance they have to counter. Let’s try if Mata can help us.”
On Liverpool: “[They are] aggressive, trying to press trying to recover the ball as high as possible. This is the way they normally do it, they are not the kind of team that will be in a low block waiting for us.
“We know that only by losing the match Liverpool gets in front of us but the objective is to try to be in front of them at the end of the season and not just today. We want to win the game but we know they are a very difficult team.”
On Pogba’s absence: “He is injured. Yesterday in training it was an unlucky situation and result. I don’t know how long he is out for.”
‘Liverpool are good, but not perfect’
United manager Jose Mourinho told Radio 5 Live: “Liverpool are a very good team, with some weaknesses. They’re not a perfect team, but they’re a very good team.
“That’s why they are where they are. I know my team’s weaknesses. Sometimes I hide them, sometimes I compensate for them. But Liverpool is Liverpool, and we are what we are.”
How they line up
Man Utd v Liverpool
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Eric Bailly starts for the first time since Bonfire Night, and Marcus Rashford gets his first league start since Boxing Day. Paul Pogba, of course, misses out.
Man Utd: de Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Young, McTominay, Matic, Mata, Rashford, Lukaku, Sanchez. Subs: Lindelof, Lingard, Carrick, Romero, Shaw, Fellaini, Darmian.
FULL TIME: