The final action of another notable match between English football’s fiercest rivals was a shot by Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott that was saved by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Two minutes earlier, Elliott’s teammate Luis Díaz had flown from seven meters. They were Liverpool’s 27th and 28th shots of the afternoon and 86th and 87th of the total that Jurgen Klopp’s team has accumulated in three games against United in all competitions this season.
Those numbers speak of dominance and accurately. However, Liverpool have not won any of those three games and the impact on Klopp’s final season may be even deeper than he would care to admit at this point.
Klopp shrugged his shoulders after this. These things happen. You can’t win them all. A point at Old Trafford is never a bad result. And so on and so on.
But this is arguably United’s worst team of the 11 terrible seasons that followed Sir Alex Ferguson’s last Premier League title in 2013.
Jurgen Klopp shrugged his shoulders after the draw despite dominating against Man United
This is possibly the worst Man United team since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson
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Erik ten Hag’s version is a weak, passive and fearful group. At times during this match they were so bad, so utterly incapable of playing any kind of intelligent, progressive football, that it was hard to believe what we were seeing.
Much of the last decade has been regressive, but a team that finishes half the game at home against Liverpool without having managed to take a shot, while the opponent has taken 15 (that is, one every three minutes), is in danger of achieve this great goal. football team to depths never before visited even by the likes of David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
However, Liverpool could not beat them. In fact, they came dangerously close to losing to them once again. Liverpool experienced a strange kind of paralysis in the final third, the kind of mental confusion that sees Mo Salah miss open goals and Darwin Núñez pass to people who don’t exist without seeing those who do. That’s what this game was about.
United and some of their most desperate supporters and, indeed, their manager and players will try to disguise this result as proof that something is stirring at Old Trafford, that a fire still burns in the bellies of those in red.
But that’s rubbish. Has no sense. Ten Hag’s are a terrible football team that continues to get worse under him. Days like this, with the assistance of minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will not work in his favor when making decisions about his future. They will work against you.
Ratcliffe and his teammate Sir Dave Brailsford don’t necessarily know football, but they do know the sport and what they will have recognized once again during this match was failure after failure after failure.
The only good thing about this from United’s point of view was the result: a blow somehow landed on the solar plexus of a far superior opponent, and when that is the case regularly then you are in trouble.
Man United fueled by chaos, noise and adrenaline in FA Cup victory over Liverpool last month
On Sunday, Erik ten Hag’s weak and passive team failed to play intelligent football
At times, United can feed on chaos, noise and adrenaline. They did it in the FA Cup quarter-final last month against Liverpool and they did it again here. But they don’t know how to control the games. They don’t know how to follow a plan. They got lucky here and Ratcliffe won’t let that last beyond the summer. He just he can’t.
So once again, Liverpool wake up with those burning questions burning in their brains. As? Because? And once again the answers are found in lack of calm, composure and intelligence.
Klopp’s team played beautifully in the first half on Sunday, from tee to green, to steal a golf term. They controlled possession and passed the ball strategically and precisely.
Like almost every other team worth their salt in England and Europe, they know how to play against United. Let them have the ball in their own field. Don’t push them too hard. And then wait. And wait. Because eventually United will give it to you and then you’ll be in business.
And Liverpool were in business, repeatedly. They just couldn’t score. United goalkeeper Onana started the afternoon with a good save from Dominik Szoboszlai and was impressive throughout the day. The Cameroonian international has proven himself worthy of the position throughout a season that began traumatic for him. There were also some brave and determined last minute blocks from the United defenders. At left-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka often squandered possession, but he was brave when he didn’t.
Still, Liverpool should have taken the equation out of their opponents’ hands and it was impossible not to think that the reason they didn’t was partly due to the psychological impact of a criminally thrown away Cup tie here last month.
Much of what happened here reminded us of the game that United won 4-3 in extra time. The way the Liverpool players lamely took their shots. The poor selection of the final pass. The inability to convert offensive overloads into clear chances.
Liverpool played very well in the first half, but it was only proven by Luis Díaz’s goal.
Before Klopp leaves, it is difficult to know what damage not beating Man United can do
The only thing that distinguished this match was that Liverpool did not lose it. They found a way back. They tied to turn disaster into disappointment. They ended the afternoon on the front foot. They deserve credit for that and it meant that Klopp’s serenade at the Stretford End with ‘Jurgen is laughing out loud’ as he left the pitch lacked some of the desired resonance.
However, this could be a crucial day. No one should have any doubts about how bad this United team is. They are shamefully poor. How they are sixth in the Premier League is a mystery.
But as Klopp prepares to leave Anfield next month, it is difficult to look away from the damage possibly caused by two league games against the old enemy and one in the FA Cup.
There are 87 shots, remember. 87 shots. The more you say it, the worse it sounds.