Klopp takes the positives as wasteful Liverpool salvage a point at Old Trafford

The Merseyside club should have been home and hosed by half-time but ended up needing a late Mo Salah penalty to salvage a draw against bitter rivals Manchester United.

It was a familiar story for Klopp after their FA Cup defeat to United last month when they failed to turn supremacy into victory.

Klopp said: "We should have won the game - that is clear. But we caused problems ourselves. They had no shot at all in the first half so 1-0 is the lowest of all the results.

"Before they scored we had big chances and after they scored we had big chances but we only took two of them. I know how people see it as two points lost, but the way I see it is a point more than we had before. It’s a point away to Manchester United.

"These are the games we have to be ready for. We found a way back into the game and we fully deserved the equaliser, that’s it."

The draw cost Liverpool the chance to go back to the top of the table - and the title is now no longer in their hands. They are level on points with Arsenal who have a far superior goal difference.

He admitted he will be supporting United when they play the Gunners on the penultimate weekend of the season but didn't hold much hope for Erik ten Hag's team to do them a favour, saying: "If they [United] play like that then Arsenal will win."

Luis Diaz gave Liverpool a deserved lead after 23 minutes and they should have been out of sight by half-time but a combination of fine saves by United keeper Andre Onana, some great defensive blocks plus poor finishing ensured United were still in the game at the break.

A mistake by Jarell Quansah five minutes into the second half resulted in Bruno Fernandes spotting Caoimhin Kelleher off his line and scoring from 45 yards before Kobbie Mainoo continued his wonderful debut season by curling in United's second.

But once again they couldn't hold onto to their lead with Salah keeping his cool from the spot after Wan-Bissaka's ill-judged challenge on Harvey Elliott.

Ten Hag criticised his United players for "stupid mistakes" after watching them throw away a lead for the third time in eight days.

The 2-2 draw followed United's 4-3 defeat at Chelsea when they conceded two goals deep into added time - one of them a penalty conceded by Diogo Dalot - and the 1-1 draw at Brentford when they took the lead in added time but still managed to concede an equaliser.

The seven points thrown away will almost certainly cost United Champions League qualification and Ten Hag admits they must learn how to get over the line in games when they are winning.

"I am very disappointed that we have dropped seven points in one week after being in winning positions," said the United manager. "But we have to blame ourselves for making stupid mistakes.

“There have been some poor decisions and not every time the same player. Definitely, it is not helpful that we have had 27 different back lines this season. But still we have to improve.” 

Ten Hag was delighted however with the performances of youngsters Kobbie Mainoo, who scored a brilliant second goal, and 19-year-old Willy Kambwala, who was thrown in for only his second Premier League start because of injuries to four senior central defenders.

"Willy did very good and his progress has been amazing," he added. "He has been training with us and we didn’t have any doubts [about playing him]. We were convinced he can do the job and he has done brilliant. The challenge for him is to do consistently..

"It's another signal for the future for this club. This team this squad has high potential. The next generation need to step in.

“It was a great opportunity for him and we have other options like bringing Casemiro in at centre-half, but today Willy deserved it and he showed it on the pitch.” 

As for Mainoo he said: "Kobbie's finish was brilliant but it was a very good team goal. It was a goal that came from the game plan so I am very proud they could transfer this in the way they did." 

Ten Hag admitted his side were outbattled in the first half. "In decisive areas we were losing battles and our decision making was not quick enough," he said. "At half-time we encouraged them to do better and they stepped up in the second half."

Man Utd (4-2-3-1); Onana 8; Wan-Bissaka 7, Kambwala 7 (Mount 83, 5), Maguire 7, Dalot 7; Casemiro 7, Mainoo 8; Garnacho 7 (Amrabat 79, 6), Fernandes 8, Rashford 7 (Antony 65, 5); Hojlund 6.

Subs not used; Bayindir, Eriksen, Diallo, Forson, Amass, Ogunneye.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Kelleher 6; Bradley 7 (Gomez 65, 6), Quansah 6, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 7; Szoboszlai 7 (Joes 65, 6), Mac Allister 8, Endo 7 (Elliott 68, 6); Salah 6, Nunez 5 (Gakpo 68, 5), Diaz 7.

Unused subs: Adrián, Konaté, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Danns.

Referee: Anthony Taylor 7.