Late Diallo strike seals deserved draw for Manchester United at Anfield
Celebrates Diallo Manchester The Amad Equaliser United's
AMAD Diallo’s 80th minute equaliser earned Manchester United an unexpected but deserved point as Ruben Amorim avoided his worst fears.
The new United manager had spoken of the anxiety and fear among his squad but, having taken the lead through Lisandro Martinez’s first goal in nearly two years, his side fell behind to responses from Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah.
Trailing 2-1 to the Premier League leaders, United might have been expected to go quietly into the snowy Anfield night. But they, and young winger Diallo in particular, had other ideas.
With ten minutes to play, Bruno Fernandes sent substitute Alejandro Garnacho racing away down the left and his cross found Diallo, who arrived ahead of Andy Robertson, to score past a wrong-footed Alisson.
Martinez had struck after 52 minutes with an opening goal that was as merited as it was stunning, given events leading into the game.
Rarely, in recent times, has a United side started this fixture as such underwhelming underdogs but they were full value for an opener that came from a poor clearance from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was experiencing a torrid afternoon.
Martinez intercepted, played forward to Fernandes who returned the pass to the Argentinian defender to finish with a flourish, sending a shot crashing off the crossbar and into the net from a wide angle eight yards out.
But there is a reason that Liverpool were seeking a 24th consecutive game unbeaten and it took just seven minutes for Arne Slot’s team to equalise.
Alexis Mac Allister, one of the few Liverpool stars to play up to his usual levels, threaded through a well-timed pass for Gakpo to advance, switching feet to send Matthijs de Ligt flying before finishing into the United goal.
It was an equaliser that breathed life into Liverpool and, just as importantly, an Anfield crowd that had been left anxious by United’s impressive start.
Still, Liverpool’s second goal was very much self-inflicted by United as de Ligt unnecessarily raised his arm as he challenged Diogo Jota for Mac Allister’s cross.
Referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue but, once a break arrived, VAR sent him to his video screen, from where there was only going to be one outcome.
Salah, still at the centre of an on-going dispute with Liverpool over a new contract offer of course, converted a powerful penalty to the bottom right-hand corner for his 18th goal of the Premier League season, despite Andre Onana getting two hands to it.
But, if United folk, including Amorim, had feared the worst, then the game failed to deliver that. Instead, United looked unrecognisable from the shambles of recent weeks, turning in a disciplined and hard-working performance.
After 19 minutes, Diogo Dalot took advantage of poor play from Alexander-Arnold, sprinting down the left and crossing for Amad Diallo who was unmarked but had overrun the ball.
And before the interval, they looked capable of breaking the deadlock when Martinez played Rasmus Hojlund through on goal but the striker’s effort was blocked comfortably by Alisson.
Liverpool, for all their supremacy so far this season, were limited in first half chances. After 14 minutes, Gakpo rolled his shot just wide and, just a minute later, Salah’s delightful chip into the box was met by Mac Allister whose first-time hit was well saved by Onana.
There were some familiar United weaknesses, however, and early after the restart, Mac Allister sent over a wicked, in-swinging corner which Onana just about managed to punch away, from under his crossbar.
But there was nothing undeserved about United's opening goal coming, as it did, after Dalot had twice taken on and skipped past Alexander-Arnold to set up chances early in the second half.
Finally, Martinez’s opener drew the required response from the leaders and two Liverpool goals quickly followed, only for United to respond again.
It all set up a frantic finale, which could have seen the game go either way; Fernandes’s effort being saved by Alisson at his near-post and Jota and Conor Bradley both denied by Onana.
And, incredibly in the seventh minute of added time, Joshua Zirkzee squared for an unmarked Harry Maguire who cleared the cross-bar by some distance from 12 yards.
Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 4 (Bradley 86), Konate 6, van Dijk 5, Roberston 6; Gravenberch 7, Mac Allister 8; Salah 7, Jones 6 (Jota 61, 6), Gakpo 7 (Elliott 86); Diaz 5 (Nunez 60, 6).
Chiesa, Endo, Kelleher, Quansah, Tsimikas.
Onana 6; de Ligt 5 (Yoro 83), Maguire 7, Martinez 7; Mazraoui 6, Mainoo 7 (Garnacho 72, 6), Ugarte 7, Dalot 7; Diallo 7, Fernandes 8; Hojlund 5 (Zirkzee 86).
Bayindir, Casemiro, Collyer, Eriksen, Malacia, Antony.
M Oliver 7