📸 Man Utd stun Liverpool, Reds lose again, Gakpo hits woodwork 3 times | OneFootball

Liverpool’s rough patch continues right from the start of the match against Manchester United: a goal conceded after just 63 seconds by Mbeumo.

A truly unlucky match for the Reds, with the woodwork repeatedly struck by Cody Gakpo, who later scored the equalizer—only for it to be rendered almost immediately meaningless by Maguire’s decisive header.

For Slot’s team, it’s their fourth consecutive defeat and their third straight loss in the Premier League: a result that allows Arsenal to hold onto their solitary lead at the top.

For Amorim, it’s a prestigious victory in Manchester United’s attempt to climb the table and return to positions that qualify for European competitions.

Mbeumo’s goal and protests, Mac Allister with a headband

At the start of the play, Van Dijk accidentally hits Mac Allister on the head; on the rebound, Mbeumo finds space and scores (with the help of Mamardashvili) from a Diallo assist.

The midfielder needs medical attention and is forced to continue the match with his head bandaged, while Slot protests since the referee did not stop play despite the blow to the back of the head.

Mbeumo’s goal (his 3rd in 9 matches) is only the second to be scored in the opening two minutes in the history of this fixture in the Premier League; the first was by Nicky Butt for United in 1995, according to Opta.

3 times Gakpo hit the woodwork, only one is unluckier

The unluckiest player of the match, however, is definitely Cody Gakpo, who hit the woodwork three times between the first and second half: in the 20th minute with an inside shot past the goalkeeper, then with a deflected cross that hit the crossbar in the 32nd, and finally with another curling effort in the 49th minute.

Only Darwin Nunez has hit the post/crossbar more times in a single Premier League match: 4 times in Liverpool-Chelsea in 2024.

Man United also had their share of bad luck: Bruno Fernandes hit the outside of the post from the edge of the area at the start of the second half from a Diallo cross.

Liverpool equalizes: Chiesa with the assist

The Reds’ dominance finally paid off in the 78th minute, with the equalizing goal scored by Cody Gakpo.

For the Dutchman, it’s his third goal of the season. The goal was set up by an assist from Federico Chiesa, once again making an impact in the final minutes after coming on for a disappointing Isak in the 72nd minute.

It’s the third time the Italian winger has contributed to a goal after coming on with less than 20 minutes left: on the opening day, he scored against Bournemouth with only 8 minutes available, in the goal that put Liverpool ahead before Salah added the 4-2.

Against Crystal Palace, in his previous Premier League appearance, Chiesa scored the temporary equalizer in the 87th minute after coming on in the 74th, in a match that ended 2-1.

In short, Chiesa has definitely become a key factor for Liverpool in the closing stages of matches, with the team often deciding games in the dying moments this season.

Maguire wins it, Liverpool’s 4th defeat in a row

But it wasn’t to be: Manchester United pulled ahead almost immediately again. In the 84th minute, Harry Maguire made it 2-1 with a powerful header from a Bruno Fernandes cross following a corner.

A few minutes later, Gakpo missed the chance to equalize again with a header sent well wide.

The Reds’ rough patch continues, with a fourth consecutive defeat after Premier League losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and the shocking slip-up against Galatasaray in the Champions League.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

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