A Precious Point at Anfield

At the end of 2024, Manchester United ranked 14th in the Premier League with 22 points, just 7 points above the relegation zone and 13 points behind the top 4. In this crisis, coach Ruben Amorim hoped that the Red Devils would recover their form as they entered 2025. However, in their opening match of the year, they had to face a formidable opponent in Liverpool. This was seen as a major test for Man Utd, as they were sitting mid-table, while Liverpool were dominating the Premier League standings under the guidance of Arne Slot. With 45 points, Liverpool were at the top of the table, 6 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, and their attacking force, having scored 45 goals, was the strongest in the league.

In the 2025 season opener, Manchester United faced a challenging task at Anfield. Although they had been struggling in recent matches, the Red Devils were still considered a tough opponent for top teams. It's worth noting that in December 2024, under the guidance of Amorim, they had secured a victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Ahead of their encounter with Liverpool, despite facing a highly in-form opponent, United managed to implement a completely different strategy. Amorim set the team up in a 3-4-2-1 formation and made three substitutions: Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Joshua Zirkzee were replaced by Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Bruno Fernandes. Meanwhile, Liverpool's manager, Arne Slot, opted to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation that had served them well in their 5-0 victory over West Ham, making just one change by bringing Ibrahima Konaté on for Joe Gomez.

Liverpool started strong, pushing forward aggressively early in the match, but the tight defense of Manchester United made it hard for the hosts to break through. Moreover, Man Utd did not sit back passively; they launched several dangerous counter-attacks that put Liverpool’s defense under considerable pressure. Both teams had clear chances in the first half, but neither could convert, resulting in a 0-0 draw at halftime.

In the second half, Manchester United shocked everyone with a swift attack. In the 52nd minute, Lisandro Martinez made a crucial run and found Bruno Fernandes, who passed it perfectly to the Argentine midfielder. Martínez’s powerful left-footed strike from a tight angle beat Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson, and Man Utd led 1-0. They held onto the lead for more than six minutes, but Liverpool showed why they were at the top of the Premier League. In a quick counter-attack, Cody Gakpo evaded Matthijs de Ligt before unleashing a brilliant shot that beat goalkeeper Onana, leveling the score at 1-1. Liverpool then took the lead in the 70th minute when Mohamed Salah successfully converted a penalty after being fouled in the box, making it 2-1.

Just when it seemed like Man Utd was heading for another defeat, they managed to equalize in the 80th minute. Amad Diallo struck the vital goal to make it 2-2, securing a crucial point for the Red Devils at Anfield.

While the result gave Manchester United just one point against the league leaders, that point was precious more than gold. It sparked hope that the team could rebuild its confidence and find its rhythm again, despite the tough challenges ahead.