Liverpool vs Manchester United Match Review: Maguire’s Late Header Helps United Break Anfield Curse! | OneFootball

In one of the Premier League’s most charged fixtures, Manchester United claimed a seismic 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield – their first on Merseyside since January 2016. It was a result that spoke volumes not just about Manchester United’s resilience but about Liverpool’s alarming regression under Arne Slot, who suffered a fourth consecutive defeat, a run not seen at the club since Brendan Rodgers’ final days in 2014.

Harry Maguire’s towering 84th-minute header sealed a dramatic win for the Red Devils after Cody Gakpo had cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s controversial opener inside the first two minutes. It was a night when Liverpool created enough chances to win twice over yet left with nothing – their structural cracks widening and defensive lapses once again proving costly.

liverpool 1-2 manchester united

Cody Gakpo 78′, Bryan Mbeumo 2′, Harry Maguire 84′

Match Summary and Tactical Review

From the first whistle, the match encapsulated both Liverpool’s fragility and Manchester United’s newfound clarity under Rúben Amorim. The visitors executed a clear, disciplined plan, exploiting Liverpool’s left flank repeatedly through Amad Diallo and Mbeumo, while the champions stumbled between dominance in possession and chaos in defence.

Early Controversy and United’s Bright Start

The contest ignited inside 62 seconds. As Alexis Mac Allister went down clutching his head after an accidental elbow from Virgil van Dijk, referee Michael Oliver waved play on. Bruno Fernandes seized the loose ball, sweeping it wide to Diallo, who slid a clever pass into Mbeumo’s stride. The Cameroonian shrugged off Ibrahima Konaté and fired low past Giorgi Mamardashvili, whose stand-in performance for the injured Alisson was unconvincing.

Liverpool were furious, demanding the game be halted for a head injury, but VAR could not intervene as no foul had been committed. By the time Mac Allister had returned to his feet, The Red Devils were ahead – and Amorim’s plan was in motion.

From there, Manchester United’s structure was compact and cohesive. Fernandes and Mason Mount rotated intelligently to screen Liverpool’s midfield build-up, while Matheus Cunha pressed diagonally, shutting off passing lanes into Alexander Isak, who struggled to connect play or unsettle Maguire and Lisandro Martínez. Amorim’s side repeatedly released Diallo early against Milos Kerkez, whose hesitancy at left-back exposed a glaring weak point in Liverpool’s defensive setup.

Liverpool’s Growing Frustration

Liverpool dominated the ball, but control eluded them. Isak’s first shot on target as a Liverpool player came in the 35th minute – a tame effort easily gathered by Senne Lammens, Manchester United’s new Belgian goalkeeper making his Premier League debut.

Salah, usually irrepressible against the Red Devils, was subdued again. When his one big chance came, he snatched at it, firing wide in front of the Kop.

The champions were wasteful and disjointed. Three times Gakpo struck the woodwork – once after a deft cross from Chiesa in the second half, twice from quick transitional breaks where composure deserted him. Slot’s frustration grew visibly; every attack that fizzled out or misplaced pass was met with a shake of the head.

Defensively, Liverpool looked brittle. Manchester United’s simple, direct sequences down their right repeatedly forced Van Dijk into recovery mode. Kerkez and the captain often operated on different wavelengths, their spacing poor, their communication worse. Set-pieces – a recurring weakness this season – remained a liability.

Manchester United’s Plan and Amorim’s Execution

Amorim’s tactical blueprint was clear and effective. In Manchester United’s 5-3-2 shape out of possession, Fernandes stepped alongside Cunha to block central access. Behind them, Mount and Mbeumo flanked Casemiro and compressed the half-spaces, forcing Liverpool’s build-up wide.

From there, Manchester United triggered their press on Kerkez, whose uncertainty repeatedly handed possession back.

Offensively, Fernandes orchestrated with typical precision. His clipped through balls behind Van Dijk exposed Liverpool’s high line, while Cunha’s relentless energy occupied both centre-backs. One such sequence midway through the first half saw Fernandes hit the outside of the post with Mamardashvili rooted – a moment that typified Manchester United’s sharper intent.

Lammens, meanwhile, justified Amorim’s faith. The 23-year-old commanded his area, dealt decisively with Liverpool’s aerial deliveries, and produced strong saves from Isak and Gakpo.

With him, United looked unexpectedly secure in goal – a stability that spread confidence through the back five.

Liverpool Rally – Then Collapse Again

After the break, Slot attempted to wrest back control. He introduced Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones, and finally Federico Chiesa, adding energy and incision to Liverpool’s attack. The response was immediate. Ekitiké’s movement dragged defenders around, Chiesa injected pace and width, and finally, in the 78th minute, Liverpool were level.

Chiesa drove down the left, and delivered low. Gakpo darted in at the near post, smashing home emphatically. Anfield erupted; the champions looked poised for their trademark late surge. But just as momentum tilted, familiar frailties resurfaced.

Manchester United won a corner six minutes later. Mbeumo’s shot deflected and fell to Fernandes who delivered with whip and precision to the back post. There, unmarked and poised, Harry Maguire rose above Konaté and powered a header into the net. The symbolism was hard to ignore – Manchester United’s most maligned defender delivering redemption in the same goal where he had blazed over in last season’s 2-2 draw.

Liverpool’s marking disintegrated. Three Red Devils players stood free behind Konaté, the product of a scrambled defensive setup that Slot later admitted was compromised by the number of attacking players on the pitch.

“After the 62nd minute we had six or seven offensive players,” Slot reflected. “That’s maybe why our set-piece structure wasn’t as perfect as usual. But that’s not an excuse. We have to do better.

Man of the Match: Harry Maguire

In a contest rich in narratives, Harry Maguire stood tallest – figuratively and literally. His defensive authority anchored United through waves of Liverpool pressure, his aerial dominance repelled endless crosses, and his match-winning goal epitomised the resilience Amorim has been trying to instil.

After years of scrutiny and mockery, this was Maguire at his defiant best: calm in possession, aggressive in duels, and commanding in both boxes. He led a defensive unit that included an inexperienced goalkeeper and a reshuffled back line, yet they restricted Liverpool to few clean openings despite the volume of attacks.

His header – clean, emphatic, and unchallenged – encapsulated both his personal resurgence and Liverpool’s systemic decay at set-pieces. Maguire’s sprint to the away end, arms outstretched in unfiltered celebration, captured a cathartic moment. It was as much about redemption as victory.

Final Word

For Rúben Amorim, this was vindication – the first back-to-back Premier League wins in this season, and arguably his most coherent performance since taking charge. His team displayed structure, discipline, and a tactical awareness long absent from recent iterations of Manchester United. The front-line press was synchronized, transitions were decisive, and Maguire’s leadership provided the foundation for a historic win.

For Arne Slot, however, the alarm bells are deafening. Liverpool have now lost four consecutive matches – their worst run in over a decade – and the defensive chaos undermines even their brightest attacking moments. The champions have kept just two clean sheets in twelve league games, conceding from five set-pieces already this season.

Slot’s £125 million signing Alexander Isak continues to look detached from the team’s rhythm, while Salah’s form has dipped into worrying territory. The new-look defense, with Kerkez struggling to adapt and Van Dijk visibly stretched, lacks both chemistry and concentration.

Liverpool’s title defence is slipping, their identity blurred by inconsistency. The upcoming fixtures offer no respite – trips to Frankfurt in UCL and Brentford prove tricky while they face Palace (EFL Cup), Aston Villa, Real Madrid (UCL) and Manchester City after that – and Slot must restore defensive structure fast or risk watching the season unravel further.

For United, the win breathes life into Amorim’s project. It wasn’t perfect, but it was purposeful. They fought, executed, and finished. In matches like this, clarity of plan trumps chaos of talent.

At the final whistle, Anfield fell silent save for the jubilant roar from the away end – a sound not heard here in nearly a decade.

And at its heart stood Harry Maguire, arms wide, drinking it all in – the symbol of United’s defiance and Liverpool’s disarray.