Liverpool vs. Manchester United: Score, Grades, Reaction from Premier League

Steven Gerrard’s dismissal—just 48 seconds after entering the fray—was the scarcely believable highlight of a dramatic, unpredictable Premier League game at Anfield on Sunday, as Manchester United ultimately beat Liverpool 2-1 to earn a significant advantage in the Champions League qualification race.

This match had a bit of everything: a sending off, missed penalty and an iconic goal. Gerrard was sent off for a stamp almost immediately after coming on at half-time, merely the most bizarre event of a game that, whatever it lacked in quality, was not short of jaw-dropping incidents and unexpected moments.

Juan Mata had opened the scoring after just 15 minutes for Manchester United, as Louis van Gaal’s side dominated most of the first half. Gerrard’s introduction during the interval was surely designed to change the tide, but after the captain had disgraced himself in what is almost certain to be his last appearance against the club’s old enemy, Mata doubled United’s lead with a brilliantly acrobatic second goal.

That strike seemed to have killed the game off. However, with 20 minutes remaining, Daniel Sturridge managed to beat David de Gea at his near post to keep the game alive.

Liverpool huffed and puffed, but they lacked the invention and ability to create an equalising opportunity. In the end, it was United who had the clearest chance to notch the game’s fourth goal. Wayne Rooney was denied from the penalty spot in injury time, a fitting end to what had been an enthralling contest.

"It’s a massive game, probably the biggest game in the history of English football," Mata told Sky Sports. "To come here and score two goals, it is a great day for me.

"[The second goal] is right up there as one of the best. After Gerrard was sent off we need to score a second goal, and this goal helped us to win."

After the game, Gerrard came out to apologise for his moment of madness, accepting that the referee had made the correct decision.

"I need to accept it," Gerrard said. "I think the decision was right. I’ve let my team-mates and my manager down and the supporters down. I need to apologise. I take full responsibility for it."

Jon Super/Associated Press

Both sides named unchanged sides from their most recent league fixtures, with Rodgers resisting the urge to restore a fit-again Steven Gerrard to his starting lineup. That meant Sturridge led the line again, with Raheem Sterling kept in a slightly unfamiliar right wing-back role.

Manchester United stuck with the same starting XI that so impressed against Tottenham Hotspur, with Van Gaal evidently satisfied with what he saw on that occasion. That meant a place on the substitutes’ bench for Radamel Falcao, Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo, with Rooney continuing in attack alone.

Just as they had done in that win over Spurs, United started the game in assertive, dominant fashion. In the opening stages of the match, the home side struggled to gain control of the ball, with Philippe Coutinho the only player to occasionally turn the tide.

Marouane Fellaini was proving a real threat, an early header inside the box creating a glorious opportunity that Rooney and Mata should perhaps have reacted quicker to. The one thing United’s performance was lacking was clear-cut opportunities on goal, but the first one they would create resulted in the opener.

It was Ander Herrera, calm and composed on the ball in midfield, who created the opportunity. He spotted compatriot Mata slipping in behind Alberto Moreno, and he fed his team-mate perfectly as Mata broke the offside trap.

The Spaniard’s first touch was measured and his second clinical, the ball just flicking the onrushing Simon Mignolet’s fingertips before hitting the net off the inside of the far post.

That seemed to shake Liverpool up, and they created their first real chance of the game just moments later as Sturridge’s first-time volley from Jordan Henderson’s reverse ball skewed wide of goal. From that point, United continued to be the more robust side, but Liverpool became more threatening, and they would create the best chance of the game before half-time.

It was a brilliant passing move, as Henderson’s sweeping ball across the pitch found Sturridge running into the box from the left. The striker waited for a while and then played a measured pass across the box for Adam Lallana, but the midfielder’s controlled shot flew a foot wide of the near post.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

It was Lallana’s one significant moment of the half, and there was little surprise when he was withdrawn at the break. Rodgers clearly needed to make a change and Lallana was the man to make way for Gerrard. 

That switch in personnel was perhaps to be accompanied by a change in tactical system, but observers were destined never to find out. Gerrard lasted just 32 seconds on the pitch, as Liverpool’s most experienced player disgraced himself in possibly his last appearance in this fixture.

His first involvement was robust, as he clattered through Mata to win the ball in firm but fair fashion. Moments later, the ball fell to Herrera in the same area, Gerrard won it again before inexplicably stamping on the prone midfielder. Referee Martin Atkinson had no qualms about his decision, immediately producing a red card.

Oddly enough, that seemed to motivate Liverpool for a brief period, as they appeared ready for the challenge of being both a man and a goal down. They created a number of openings in and around the box, although Coutinho’s strike from long range was about the only real threat to David de Gea’s goal.

Eventually, however, United would settle into the new rhythm of the match, and their numerical superiority became more and more obvious. On the hour-mark they made it count, effectively gaining a bigger edge. 

As ugly as the turning point that came before it had been, the clinching goal was a thing of beauty. Angel Di Maria had just been introduced to the action, and he made an immediate impact, receiving the ball from Mata and then playing a lobbed pass into the box for United's No. 8.

Mata still had plenty of work to do but did it brilliantly, angling his body toward the ball before hitting a half-bicycle kick that flew perfectly into the far corner.

As that strike found the back of the net, thoughts started to turn toward what the final score might be. This was the second impressive, controlled United performance in seven days—with every chance the visitors carved out inside the Liverpool box, it seemed Van Gaal’s methods were getting their vindication after an often-troubled season.

Rodgers was running out of options—the Northern Irishman putting on Mario Balotelli for the out-of-sorts Alberto Moreno as he threw caution to the wind.

At that point, the game looked over, but Liverpool found themselves back in the game with 20 minutes remaining. Michael Carrick, uncharacteristically for him, was robbed inside his own half, and Coutinho quickly scarpered toward goal. The resulting pass for Sturridge dragged the striker wider than he would have liked, but he was still able to get a powerful shot off, as a slight deflection off the covering defender took the ball inside De Gea’s near post.

That reinvigorated a crowd rendered mute by previous events. It became a game of heightened emotions, with Balotelli, already on a yellow card, only pulled back from confronting Chris Smalling after a tussle near the touchline by some slightly more level-headed home fans.

That seemed to sum up Liverpool in the closing stages; they were full of passion and vigour but were unable to translate that into a tangible threat on the pitch. They pressed and pressed, but United looked more dangerous whenever they were counter-attacking.

Deep into injury time, they would have the chance to kill things off. Daley Blind had tormented Emre Can all afternoon, and the German’s frustrations seemed to boil over as he clumsily bundled the Dutchman over in the box.

Rooney stepped up to take the penalty, but Mignolet kept his side’s chances alive with a brilliant save as he flung himself to his right. Unfortunately, there was no time left for Liverpool to take advantage, the final whistle blowing as De Gea claimed one final desperate ball into the box.

Martin Skrtel appeared to stand on De Gea after that moment, meaning players from both teams had to be separated after the whistle as emotions continued to run high. This was not a classic game of football—far from it—but for sheer drama and unpredictability, it could scarcely be bettered.

Gerrard’s dismissal was the crowning moment, but in the end, it is Mata’s two goals that have United heading into the season’s final stretch with every hope of securing a Champions League berth for next season.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Player Ratings

Player	Rating
Simon Mignolet	6
Emre Can	5
Martin Skrtel	7
Mamadou Sakho	6
Alberto Moreno	5
Joe Allen	6
Jordan Henderson	7
Adam Lallana	5
Phillipe Coutinho	7
Raheem Sterling	5
Daniel Sturridge	7
Substitutions
Steven Gerrard	2
Mario Balotelli	6

Player	Rating
David De Gea	6
Antonio Valencia	6
Phil Jones	6
Chris Smalling	6
Daley Blind	7
Michael Carrick	6
Ander Herrera	8
Juan Mata	8
Ashley Young	6
Marouane Fellaini	6
Wayne Rooney	6
Substitutions
Angel Di Maria	7
Radamel Falcao	6
Marcos Rojo	n/a

What's Next?

The tests keep coming thick and fast for Liverpool, as they travel to London to face Arsenal on April 4. United, meanwhile, host Aston Villa at Old Trafford on the same day.

Quotes taken from Sky Sports' live post-match broadcast.