Manchester United keeper David de Gea produced a world-class save to deny Joel Matip as Liverpool were frustrated by Jose Mourinho’s stubborn side at Anfield for the second successive season. Jurgen Klopp’s side peppered the United goal with 19 shots but a combination of outstanding goalkeeping by Spain keeper De Gea and the home team’s poor finishing denied them a decisive moment. The German’s men were in control of the game for long periods but their profligacy in front of goal means they have now won just once in eight games. The most noteworthy incident of an uneventful first half was De Gea denying Cameroon defender Matip from close range with a brilliant reflex save with his outstretched left boot, before Mohamed Salah fired the rebound wide. United offered very little quality in attack although De Gea’s counterpart Simon Mignolet had to smartly parry Romelu Lukaku’s fierce attempt before the interval.
Liverpool dominated even more after half-time but Emre Can wasted their best chance when he volleyed over the bar from eight yards after being picked out by the impressive Joe Gomez. The point leaves United – with nine clean sheets in their past 10 league games – two points behind Manchester City, who thrashed Stoke 7-2. It’s almost a year to the day Liverpool and United played out a goalless and drab stalemate in the same stadium, with the hosts subdued by a vintage Mourinho master class in the defensive organization.
Twelve months on, this game was only marginally better despite Liverpool taking the match to United with more urgency after the break than they mustered in 2016. A year ago, United were grateful for two fine second-half saves from goalkeeper De Gea to deny Can and Philippe Coutinho. This time the Spaniard produced a magnificent save with his foot to keep out Matip from close range on his way to his 18th Premier League clean sheet of 2017.
This was only Liverpool’s third clean sheet in 13 games this season but Mourinho will have been the happier manager at the final whistle. The visitors had just 38% of possession – a 3% improvement on their last visit – yet their dogged defensive display stopped Liverpool scoring for only the second time this season in the Premier League.
