Liverpool: 10 Things to Take Away from Manchester United Draw

In the end, the points had to be shared.

Liverpool and Manchester United had to settle for a point apiece after a sunny afternoon's work at Anfield on Saturday.

It was a forgettable first half and a pulsating second 45. Steven Gerrard scored with a picture-perfect placed free kick (which he claimed to be a badly taken set piece after the match), and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez showed once again his predatory instincts with a well-taken equalizer.

So that's the game in a nutshell. But what of Liverpool looking forward?

From the game billed as the most significant in the English domestic calendar, Liverpool fans will have seen plenty of encouraging signs and the Liverpool coaching team plenty of areas for improvement.

Here's a list of 10 things to take away from Saturday's lunchtime clash, with five areas for the Reds to address and five for encouragement.

Let's start with the negatives first.

Need to Improve: Lethargic Start

Let's be honest: After around 20 minutes of first-half action, most of us watching wanted the halftime whistle to go.

With Sir Alex Ferguson opting for an experienced midfield quintuplet, the middle of the Anfield park was congested. And with neither side starting with an urgency and flowing movement that have been evident on several occasions already this season, it was no lone fault of Liverpool's that the first 45 minutes were entirely forgettable.

So was this a pedestrian performance or a professional one?

If the game had turned out like the win over Everton at Goodison Park, the consensus would be that Liverpool would have played a professional game, taking three points while not at their best.

For all of the excitement and chances created in the second half, the first half featured a scrappy midfield with sloppy passes from both sides.

Liverpool players play a confidence game. We saw the wonders an out-the-traps start did for the Reds in early-season performances against Sunderland and Bolton. Against Arsenal and Everton, they were allowed a slow start; against Tottenham Hotspur, they were not.

And they were lucky that United's equally lethargic start meant that they wouldn't be punished.

Need to Improve: Uninventive Passing

What happened to the free-flowing pass-and-move Liverpool?

The pedestrian and boring start to the game featured a plethora of misplaced passes straight to the opposition. And even when the passes did find another player in a Red shirt, they often ended up going horizontal or backwards.

The lack of incisive movement played an equally important role in the lack of forward passes. With an already congested midfield and Steven Gerrard yet to approach peak fitness, there were no barnstorming runs from the center of the park, and no razor-sharp vision to find the diagonal balls to the wings.

To be fair, United's conservative 4-5-1 formation was probably designed to stem the traffic from Liverpool's midfield. When the midfield opened up as Ferguson threw on more attackers in the second half, Liverpool fashioned many more goal scoring chances.

The key for Kenny Dalglish and his coaching team now is to help their Liverpool side unlock a stifling midfield.

Need to Improve: Defensive Positioning

Yes, it was an overall solid defensive performance.

Yes, Liverpool's defenders and midfielders restricted United to just two shots on target all afternoon.

And yes, Pepe Reina didn't even get a touch on the wayward effort that somehow resulted in a corner to United from which Javier Hernandez managed to score.

But moments like this are the making of league champions, and Manchester United have match-winners in abundance.

Hernandez must be given credit for his consistently predatory finishing instincts, but Liverpool's uncertainty at defending corners remains, and the immediate concern lies with the fact that Hernandez was afforded the space to head home unmarked from a corner.

Perhaps it was Martin Skrtel's personal mistake, not remaining marked to his man before the ball was cleared.

But the fact remains that Liverpool have only managed to keep two clean sheets since the start of the season proper. And that needs addressing.

Need to Improve: Finishing

Game after game, the frustration isn't as much about the chances Liverpool create, but the lack of finishing ability to convert them.

Such was the case against Sunderland and Stoke, and unfortunately it was the same against United.

Let's start with Luis Suarez. Again. For all of his unpredictability, invention and hunger, he is far from a world-class goalscorer. When Suarez found himself with only David de Gea to beat in the first half, he shot straight at the keeper.

During Fernando Torres' days at Atletico Madrid, before his move to Anfield, he was labeled more as a scorer of spectacular goals than a spectacular scorer of goals. This seems to be an accurate description of Liverpool's No. 7 right now, and while he is seen to be more versatile and creative than Torres, he needs to get his finishing up to the old Torres' level, simply because the bulk of Liverpool's chances now arrive at his feet.

What of Suarez's strike partner?

Andy Carroll, unfortunately, didn't find himself afforded any playing time on Saturday, which turned out to be a disappointment, given the number of inviting crosses delivered into the United box towards the end of the game, and given the physically culpable duo of Rio Ferdinand and Johnny Evans.

One would think that a goalscorer with Carroll's (or even Bellamy's) finishing ability would be able to kill off a game as balanced as this.

Need to Improve: Reliance on Main Men

The good news for Liverpool fans: Steven Gerrard is back.

The not-so-good news: Liverpool remain a two-man team.

Mention the other components of the Liverpool spine (Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt) all you want, but Liverpool remain a two-man team.

Just like Fernando Torres during his time at Anfield, Luis Suarez finds the majority of Liverpool's attacking chances at his feet. And, once again, the match-winner on Saturday was Steven Gerrard.

When the going is good, a host of scorers might turn up in the form of Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson. When the going gets tough, the Reds fall back to their safest options.

And that's why Liverpool continue to be linked with a wide variety of attacking and flair options despite having a sizable squad.

Positive: Steven Gerrard's Return

If I somehow made it seem like Steven Gerrard's return is not a good thing for Liverpool in the last slide, that was not the intention.

Steven Gerrard being deemed fit enough to start and fit enough to last the entire 90 minutes can only be a good thing for Liverpool. He's Liverpool's main man for a reason.

Many reasons, actually.

For all of Kuyt's and Henderson's industrious work-rates, Gerrard's energy and ability to make incisive attacking runs will make a huge difference, and he will add an extra dimension to the Reds attack if he stays fit.

His dead-ball and crossing prowess mean that chances will be created for Liverpool strikers to pounce on, and Liverpool will no longer be restricted to the left-foot specialties of Charlie Adam.

His passion for the Reds cause will see him track back and make crucial tackles in his own half. His on-field, lead-by-example leadership will inspire confidence and instill calm in the Liverpool side.

Oh, and he's capable of scoring important goals.

Positive: Chance Creation

For all the lack of "star" power among Kenny Dalglish's new recruits, one thing that cannot be denied is that his Liverpool team are quite adept at creating goal scoring chances.

Let's face it: Despite Stewart Downing's claims to want to emulate the great Liverpool wingers of the past, he is not even as impressive at dribbling and beating his man than the man playing behind him, Jose Enrique. But they're both good at crossing. Pretty darn good at it.

And when the game opened up after United's introduction of Wayne Rooney, Nani and Hernandez, Liverpool were able to turn the switch to counterattacking mode with great effect. If it weren't for de Gea's excellent shot-stopping performance, Kuyt and Henderson could have notched the winning goal for the Reds. Martin Skrtel could have too, but perhaps caressing the ball for a goal-bound volley instead of firing it sky-high was just too big a stretch for a defender's defender.

With all the chances being created, Liverpool need to step up a gear and actually finish them off, or risk losing points when they really should be taking them on board.

This is where Andy Carroll, with his aerial and finishing ability, and Craig Bellamy, with his pace and experience, come in. Or should be coming in anyway...

Positive: Full-Back Performances

Liverpool attacked well in the second half on Saturday. And they defended well for the entire game.

Sir Alex Ferguson opted for experience when he chose his big-game players to start at Anfield. And they were big-game players, big-time: the midfield lineup consisted of Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung. And among the substitutes were Wayne Rooney, Nani and Javier Hernandez.

This was some United attack.

And opposite them was some Liverpool defence.

Young right-back Martin Kelly and new left-back Jose Enrique particularly caught the eye with assured performances and solid attacking support.

It's not everyday that Manchester United are limited to two shots on target in 90 minutes. It's not everyday that Ashley Young is subdued for 70 minutes (or that he only lasts 70 minutes). And it's not everyday that Nani is kept quiet on the pitch.

With Kelly and Enrique on the flanks, Liverpool possess a very complete partnership on either wing.

Let's just say that Glen Johnson faces a real fight getting back into the Liverpool starting 11.

Positive: Team Spirit

If there's one thing this Liverpool team doesn't lack in, it's team spirit and a desire to keep going until the end.

That much was evident in the second half, especially after Hernandez's equalizer.

United's switch to a 4-4-2 saw Liverpool fashion plenty of chances, and Jordan Henderson turned in an impressive performance having come on as a substitute for Lucas. His movement in the midfield and in the attacking third opened up plenty of space for Liverpool to attack, and he alone had two great chances to kill off the game, first via a sumptuous volley that David de Gea brilliantly turned over, and second in the form of a header that met Stewart Downing's cross.

The disappointment on the Liverpool players' faces reflected their desire to win and refusal to settle for a draw at Anfield.

The morale around the Liverpool camp will be even higher if they finally manage to find the composure and finishing ability to take all three points on the back of tireless performances like this.

Positive: Resurgence as a Team

The pre-match discussions were all about Manchester United's starting lineup.

Sir Alex Ferguson reverted to a 4-5-1 formation, with the aforementioned big-game players starting at Anfield. Their substitutes bench was littered with world-class names, but the question is: why weren't they starting?

As much as some onlookers may want to pin it on Rooney's mental state and the travel weariness following the international break, Ferguson's personnel choices reflected a cautious respect for Liverpool.

It could have been a yearn to break Liverpool's three-game winning streak of this fixture. It could have been a formation to deny Liverpool the space they crave to pass and move.

But it was definitely a nod to Ferguon's pre-match claims that this was the biggest game in English football. And that Liverpool are starting to rise again to be a major competitor for United.

Liverpool showed that his concerns were not misplaced on the day.

But now the real challenge lies ahead: Will Liverpool justify their claims for a top-four spot come next May?