Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United: Wayne Rooney smashes late winner for Louis van Gaal's side after Jurgen Klopp's men fail to make their dominance count at Anfield
- Wayne Rooney fired in the decisive goal in the 78th minute, after Liverpool had enjoyed the better of the game
- Liverpool edged the first half at Anfield with much greater attacking intent but it was goalless at half time
- Adam Lallana missed Liverpool's best chance in the first half, while Emre Can was denied early in the second
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So Jurgen Klopp joins a long list of the vanquished at Liverpool. Bob Paisley was the last manager of the club to win his first game against Manchester United – and Wayne Rooney made sure the new man wouldn’t even have the consolation of a point.
It wasn’t a greatly deserved victory, but it was an important one. Manchester United still resemble one of those arthouse films where nothing much happens for an hour, then there is a bit of action, the credits roll and everyone leaves none the wiser – but this is still Anfield, after all. It is not an easy place for United to come and win, so they deserve credit for that, at least.
When the final whistle blew, however, it was what it was: a match between the fifth best team in the Premier League, and the ninth. We imbue this fixture with Clasico status, but it is a cheque these teams can no longer cash.
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney celebrates wildly after firing his team to victory against fierce rivals Liverpool
Rooney reacted fastest to pounce upon the rebound from a Marouane Fellaini header which had hit the crossbar
Rooney celebrates his goal against Liverpool with United team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin after scoring at Anfield
David De Gea leads the United celebrations after his side secured an important 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield
Emre Can led the charge for Liverpool early in the second half but saw his low, left-footed effort turned away by De Gea
Liverpool and Germany midfielder Can reacts after seeing his effort at goal turned away by United stopper De Gea
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was dejected on the sidelines after his side failed to take their chances against United
MATCH
FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM ANFIELD
Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure (Benteke, 81), Sakho, Moreno, Henderson, Lucas, Can, Lallana (Ibe, 76), Firmino, Milner (Caulker, 90).
Subs not used: Allen, Smith, Ward, Teixeira.
Manchester United: De Gea 8.5, Young 5 (Borthwick-Jackson,43), Smalling 6.5, Blind 7.5, Darmian 7, Schneiderlin 7, Fellaini 7, Lingard 6, (Mata, 66), Ander Herrera (Depay, 72), Martial 7, Rooney 8.
Subs not used: Romero, Varela, McNair, Andreas Pereira.
Goal: Rooney, 78.
Booked: Smalling, Fellaini
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Att: 43, 685
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The Premier League table after United's win
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The move which led to Rooney's winner - click here to see more from our superb MATCH ZONE feature
United did not have a chance until Anthony Martial shot wide in the 57th minute, and Rooney’s goal was their first shot on target. It also takes his Premier League goal total for Manchester United to 176 – the most by any player for one club. For such a rotten striker he does seem to break a lot of records.
Liverpool had second-half chances through Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Mamadou Sakho and Roberto Firmino, but lost to an old fashion smash and grab.
Memphis Depay took a short corner, which Juan Mata whipped in and Marouane Fellaini won commandingly in the air. The ball hit the bar, but Rooney was quickest to react, lashing it in with the surrounding Liverpool players sluggish. Manchester United are still outside the Champions League elite, but Liverpool are mired, mid-table.
The revolution, for both clubs, is slow in coming. Unfortunately, for the neutrals, it is televised.
It was the sort of game that Sir Alex Ferguson used to earmark Darren Fletcher for, combative and furious at times. Of course, in those days both clubs had players of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes to provide balance. No such luck here. This was very much the lite version, although not in touch. The levels of distribution and quality were not markedly different to a game between teams in the bottom half of the table.
United midfielder Fellaini (left) clashes with Liverpool's Lucas in a simmering duel between the two in the first half
Anthony Martial (third right) and Nathaniel Clyne (right) rush over separate Fellaini and Lucas in the match at Anfield
Fellaini of United lies on the ground after earlier bumping heads with Liverpool midfield player Lucas in the Premier League game
Jordan Henderson (centre), the Liverpool captain, watches as he drills a shot wide of goal in the first half against United at Anfield
Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho (left) gets across to block an attempt at goal for United by striker Martial (right)
Adam Lallana had Liverpool's best chance in the first half and was denied by De Gea from breaking the deadlock
Lucas is the equivalent of Fletcher now, and his better games often seem to be blood and thunder scraps against Liverpool’s elite rivals. So it was here. We may wonder what would happen if Floyd Mayweather could fight a heavyweight, and this was its equivalent: Lucas versus Marouane Fellaini. It’s fair to say the little man gave as good as he got.
The game was only minutes old when the pair clashed heads tussling for a loose ball in midfield. It looked accidental but Fellaini came off worse and appeared to take umbrage. Not long after the pair were scrapping again over by the touchline, referee Mark Clattenburg required to restore order amid the standard melee.
The rest of the first-half followed a predictable pattern. Manchester United had a reasonable share of the ball, but absolutely zero threat on goal. Liverpool played a high energy game without the quality necessary to make it count. Without forcing a save of great note from David de Gea, however, they had the best of the chances.
In the tenth minute, Lucas clipped a ball over the top for Adam Lallana to run free. He outstripped the Manchester United back line and tried to head the bouncing ball past De Gea, who blocked, the ball running to Roberto Firmino – his shot flying wide of the far post.
Just two minutes later, Firmino – increasingly impressive under Jurgen Klopp’s regime – switched the play to James Milner in a lot of space on the right. His shot was wild, however, flying high over the bar.
United manager Van Gaal look stressed by his team's first-half performance against Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League
Ashley Young went off injured in the 43rd minute for United against Liverpool in the Premier League at Anfield
United captain Rooney (right) takes on Liverpool defender Kolo Toure during the first half, which ended without a goal
Roberto Firmino, again leading Liverpool's attack after his double against Arsenal, tried to evade a challenge from United's Daley Blind
England manager Roy Hodgson was at Anfield to see a host of his internationals on display in the Premier League clash
There are glimpses of what can be achieved under Klopp’s tuition, though, and in the 30th minute a passing movements involving Lucas, Jordan Henderson, Lallana, Firmino and Henderson again, ended with the England midfielder shooting wide.
It wasn’t the only time, either. Henderson is charged with taking Steven Gerrard’s mantle at Liverpool, but it wasn’t just will that made the former captain such a magnificent player. He had the ability to back it up.
Certainly, Henderson lacks Gerrard range – in more ways than one.
Phil Jones was in the away end alongside the United supporters to watch his side take on Liverpool at Anfield
United and England midfield player Michael Carrick was also in the stands to watch his team take on Liverpool
Liverpool's injured Brazil international playmaker, Philippe Coutinho (second left) watches on from the stands at Anfield
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