Manchester United vs. Liverpool: Score, Grades and Reaction from EPL Game

Manchester United won their sixth straight Premier League match, beating rivals Liverpool 3-0 with an efficient display on Sunday afternoon at Old Trafford.

After Liverpool had started brightly, Wayne Rooney put the Red Devils ahead in the 12th minute with his side's first attack of the match. The visitors continued to create the better chances throughout the first half, but United doubled their lead via an offside Juan Mata five minutes before the break.

As Liverpool chased the game in the second half, Robin van Persie sealed the points following a fast Manchester United counter in the 71st minute.

The Red Devils benefited from a fine performance by goalkeeper David de Gea, who pulled off a string of valuable saves to deny Liverpool in each half.

With the win, United remained in third place with 31 points through 16 matches. Louis van Gaal's men trail leaders Chelsea by eight points and sit only five points behind second-placed Manchester City. The Red Devils will try to extend their winning run next Saturday at Aston Villa.

For Liverpool, it's a seventh league defeat of the season in 16 games—one more than all of last season. Manager Brendan Rodgers, already under pressure for his side's poor start, will face renewed scrutiny after another disappointing result. The Reds will try to rebound next Sunday, when they host Arsenal.

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Both managers made interesting choices in their starting XIs, each selecting a three-man back line. Van Gaal opted for Michael Carrick in the centre of defence, with young striker James Wilson preferred to Radamel Falcao.

Meanwhile, Rodgers dropped goalkeeper Simon Mignolet following a series of high-profile mistakes, replacing him with Brad Jones. The visitors started the match without a recognised striker in the team, Raheem Sterling deployed in a central, advanced role.

Despite the final score, Liverpool started well, pinning United in their own end with high pressing. The visitors were unable to create a clear chance until the 12th minute, when Sterling scuffed a low shot too close to David de Gea, who saved with his leg.

Seconds later, United went ahead with their first real attack of the match. Antonio Valencia created the danger on the right, easing past Joe Allen with a nutmeg before pulling a cross back into the middle for Rooney. Unmarked along the edge of the box, Rooney curled into the net past Jones, who dived the wrong direction.

Liverpool promptly went in search of an equaliser, Steven Gerrard curling a speculative shot at De Gea in the 18th minute. Sterling had another chance five minutes later after beating Phil Jones with a fine turn on the left side of the box. This time, De Gea saved at his near post to preserve United's one-goal lead.

The visitors were forced into making a substitution in the 26th minute, Kolo Toure coming on for the injured Glen Johnson.

United doubled their lead in the 40th minute, albeit under controversial circumstances. Strong wing play made the difference again as Ashley Young curled in a dangerous cross from the left. Winning the ball with a slight touch in the middle, Van Persie flicked on to the back post, where Mata nodded in. Replays showed Mata was clearly offside, but the goal stood and United led 2-0 at half-time.

Needing a boost in the second 45 minutes, Liverpool introduced striker Mario Balotelli at half-time, with Adam Lallana making way. The visitors created two big chances early in the second half but again failed to convert.

In the 47th minute, Jordan Henderson headed wildly over the bar from a Sterling cross. Four minutes later, Sterling raced free behind United's defence after latching onto a poor back-pass. But the England international was unable to round De Gea, who made another fine save one-on-one.

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At the other end, Rooney saw a low shot saved in the 52nd minute. Van Persie then side-footed narrowly wide from a Valencia cross 12 minutes later.

Liverpool came close once again in the 67th minute as Sterling picked out Balotelli with a cut-back inside the box. Balotelli directed his first-time shot on target, but De Gea pushed the ball onto the crossbar to maintain his clean sheet. 

United netted for a third time in the 71st minute, hitting Liverpool with a lethal counter. After the visitors failed to clear a Rooney cross, the ball fell to Mata, who feigned to shoot before laying off for Van Persie. Comfortably onside, Van Persie slotted into the unguarded net, Jones again nowhere to be found. 

With that, the result was beyond doubt. Van Gaal introduced Falcao for Rooney in the 78th minute as United broke into a canter.

Liverpool had another chance in the 82nd minute as Balotelli found the ball at his feet inside the box, but De Gea saved again and the visitors remained frustrated. De Gea saved once more three minutes later, keeping out Balotelli's low drive from a tight angle on the right.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
David De Gea	8.6
Antonio Valencia	8.1
Phil Jones	7.6
Jonny Evans	6.1
Ashley Young	6.3
Michael Carrick	6.9
Marouane Fellaini	8.0
Juan Mata	7.8
Wayne Rooney	7.9
Robin van Persie	9.1
James Wilson	6.3
Ander Herrera (for Wilson, 71')	6.5
Radamel Falcao (for Rooney, 78')	6.1
Paddy McNair (for Jones, 89')	No rating

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Brad Jones	6.9
Martin Skrtel	6.8
Dejan Lovren	6.6
Glen Johnson	6.1
Alberto Moreno	7.0
Jordan Henderson	7.0
Joe Allen	6.5
Steven Gerrard	6.8
Philippe Coutinho	7.7
Adam Lallana	6.3
Raheem Sterling	7.5
Kolo Toure (for Johnson, 26')	6.2
Mario Balotelli (for Lallana, 46')	6.4
Lazar Markovic (for Moreno, 68')	6.6

Reaction

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (via BBC Sport):

"

I think we have scored wonderful goals. We also kept the shape very good. In spite of the goals we gave a lot of chances away. That was every time we gave unnecessary passes away and that is how we have to improve. [...]

I'm proud we have a clean sheet but that is also because David De Gea has superb reactions. We scored fantastic goals - one-touch - and I'm very pleased with that.

…

You can always say that some players are the most influential in a game and of course David De Gea has a big influence. He did it very well but I can mention others who were also very good and had a big influence.

You can single out as many players as you want. Yes, Michael Carrickdid well in defence. I said it was an all-English defence today but then Jonny Evans corrected me and told me his is from Northern Ireland. So a British defence.

"

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (via Sky Sports):

"

I thought we did enough to win the game. It epitomised our season a bit—we created so many chances today and David De Gea was man of the match. We also made defensive mistakes and that's what cost us today. We just couldn't get the goals. 

It's something that's been our problem all season. If we cut out the mistakes, we'll be in with a chances of winning more games.

"