Manchester United and Liverpool played out a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford for the first time in Premier League history this afternoon.
The match was disrupted by a series of injuries, with United losing three players in the first half and Roberto Firmino also a casualty for the visitors.
It was a game of few clear-cut chances although the best fell to United, with Alisson Becker denying Jesse Lingard on the stroke of half time, and Joel Matip being spared a clumsy own goal by an offside flag on Chris Smalling.
The point takes Liverpool back to the top of the table ahead of Manchester City, while United drop out of the top four but it may be that the depleted Red Devils have more reasons to be cheerful with the result and performance.
Relive the action from the Theatre of Dreams with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Before Manchester City and Chelsea contest the EFL Cup final at Wembley, Manchester United and Liverpool resume the biggest club rivalry in English football, and this instalment has a lot riding on it for both teams as one chases a title dream, and the other looks to crush it. Curtain-raisers don't get any bigger than this!
Twenty-nine years. That's how long Liverpool have been waiting for championship glory, and much of that time has been spent in the shadow of their fiercest rivals who have won 13 titles of their own during that period. This could finally be Liverpool's year, but not if United have anything to say about it. Team news coming up...
MAN UTD: De Gea; Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw; McTominay, Herrera, Pogba, Mata; Rashford, Lukaku
Subs: Romero, Bailly, Dalot, Pereira, Fred, Lingard, Sanchez
Subs: Romero, Bailly, Dalot, Pereira, Fred, Lingard, Sanchez
LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Milner, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Mane, Firmino
Subs: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Keita, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi, Sturridge
Subs: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Keita, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi, Sturridge
The headline inclusion across the two sides is that of Scott McTominay in the United midfield, the 22-year-old academy graduate in for his biggest game of his career at the base of midfield. Nemanja Matic, another revitalised under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is a big miss for the hosts having picked up a muscle strain.
Jesse Lingard is given the all clear for a place on the United bench but Anthony Martial has lost his own fitness race, meaning that Romelu Lukaku starts up front alongside Marcus Rashford in the same 4-4-2 diamond formation that the Red Devils used to beat Chelsea in the FA Cup on Monday night.
Chris Smalling is given the nod ahead of Eric Bailly as Victor Lindelof's centre-back partner, and David de Gea is recalled in goal after being rested in favour of Sergio Romero for FA Cup duty. Ander Herrera was superb against Chelsea and has an even bigger job on his hands without Matic alongside him.
Jurgen Klopp drops Trent Alexander-Arnold, who endured a torrid time at Old Trafford last season in a 2-1 United win, and goes for the experience of James Milner at right-back. Virgil van Dijk returns to the back four after a European suspension kept him out of the 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich, but Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez are still defensive absentees.
The conservative unit of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Georgino Wijnaldum form Liverpool's midfield three for the first time ever, with the more creative options of Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri left in reserve. Shaqiri scored twice as a substitute when Liverpool won the reverse fixture at Anfield 3-1 in December.
It was a super-sub that earned Liverpool the points and bragging rights at Anfield, and there is plenty of attacking options on both benches today. Daniel Sturridge is a man for a big goal in a big game while Divock Origi was the late hero against Everton earlier this season. Is today finally the day for Alexis Sanchez to make an impact for United?
The 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in December's reverse fixture proved to be the turning point of United's season. Two days later, Jose Mourinho was gone and Solskjaer has since overseen 11 wins from 13 games, including an unbeaten Premier League run of eight matches. This is the Norwegian's biggest game yet.
The record points total for a manager in their first 10 games in charge of a Premier League side is 25, set by Guus Hiddink with Chelsea. Solskjaer has won 25 points in his nine league games as United boss, so a point today would see him break that record. Let me just check my maths. Yep, that's right.
"I played a few of these [games against Liverpool] myself (11 appearances, three goals) and know the magnitude of it for the fans and everyone who works here", Solskjaer told BBC Sport this week. "It's our job to be focusing and channelling all that energy into performance mode when we start the game on Sunday."
Speaking again to BBC Sport, Solskjaer insisted that United's focus today is on helping their own ambitions and not derailing Liverpool's. He is quoted as saying: "I'm focusing on us and what we have to do to get to where we want to be. It's a three-horse race for the title and [a three-horse race for] fourth, that's my focus."
That three-horse race for the title could lose a runner this afternoon if Liverpool are to come away from Old Trafford with victory. That would put eight points between them and Tottenham Hotspur who squandered the opportunity to really put themselves in contention with yesterday's 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.
Klopp expects to be duelling with Solskjaer for years to come, insisting that the 45-year-old "100% deserves" the job on a full time basis. He told BBC Sport: "There is no doubt that he will be the manager next year as well, that's clear. "He deserves [the job] 100% - he did everything that you have to do to be successful with them."
United have only kept one Premier League clean sheet in 12 home matches this campaign, a joint-low in the division alongside Fulham. A seventh home fixture in a row without a clean sheet would represent United's worst top-flight run of conceding since an eight-match streak in 1972 - a year in which Liverpool won the title, if you're looking for an omen.
However, Solskjaer is slowly threatening to make improvements to United's defensive stability, with the Red Devils having shut out their opponents in their previous three domestic outings. Victor Lindelof's upturn in form is as impressive as that of Pogba or Rashford with the Swede having developed into the leader of that back line.
However, Solskjaer is slowly threatening to make improvements to United's defensive stability, with the Red Devils having shut out their opponents in their previous three domestic outings. Victor Lindelof's upturn in form is as impressive as that of Pogba or Rashford with the Swede having developed into the leader of that back line.
Another clean sheet today would be David De Gea's 100th in the Premier League, making him the 15th different goalkeeper to reach that milestone, and just the seventh to do so with a single club, following in the footsteps of United legend Peter Schmeichel and also Liverpool's best stopper of the Premier League era - Pepe Reina.
Pogba has scored eight goals and provided five assists in his last nine Premier League games, compared to three apiece in 14 matches under Mourinho earlier in the season. The could become the first Red Devils player to score in five consecutive home league fixtures since Robin van Persie in 2013.
In the opposing corner, Mohamed Salah's goalscoring record over the past 18 months is unmatched in English football, and possibly soon to be Liverpool history. A goal today and he would also be the fastest Liverpool player to 50 league goals, with Fernando Torres the current record holder with 72 games.
The Egyptian has scored 49 Premier League goals in 63 games for Liverpool - if he scores today he will be the fastest player to reach the 50-goal milestone for a single club, bettering Alan Shearer at Blackburn Rovers. However, he has not bagged in three games against United - the only Premier League opponent that he hasn't scored against.
Recently it has been Sadio Mane who has been banging in the goals for the Reds, though. Should the Senagelese get on the scoresheet again today he would become the fifth Liverpool player to score in five consecutive Premier League matches. He already has 12 for the season which is two more than he finished with last term.
For all of the talk about Liverpool showing title race nerves - and they have surrendered a seven-point lead to Manchester City - the Merseyside outfit have still only lost one Premier League game all season and that was away to the champions. Recent draws against Leicester City and West Ham United have been setbacks but they remain in a great position.
Jurgen Klopp has not won at Old Trafford in any of three of his visits there as a manager, and his record in big Premier League away games may also be a little concerning. The Reds are winless in their last seven away fixtures against sides starting the day in the top four, although they did win at Spurs in September.
Liverpool have scored in every away match in this season's Premier League, and have conceded just eight away goals in the division this campaign - and 15 in total - fewer than any other team. Combine that with their Anfield fortress and that is a recipe for Premier League champions. But can they finally get over the line this season?
Just under 10 minutes until the big kick off at the Theatre of Dreams. There is another Premier League match starting at 2.05pm today as Arsenal entertain Southampton, both of whom are in need of the points for their top-four and relegation battles respectively. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is benched for the Gunners this afternoon.
HEAD TO HEAD: Manchester United have won seven of their past nine home league games against Liverpool, with the Merseysiders' most recent win at Old Trafford 3-0 in March 2014. Interestingly, there has not been a red care in the last seven meetings, so we are due some drama. Somebody get Mike Dean on the phone...
PREDICTION: The recent meetings between these two sides have been pretty cagey but I anticipate a very different game today. Liverpool will come and give this a go and I think they will have some success with United missing key players in Matic and Martial. I'll go 3-1 to the Reds.
There will be a minute's silence prior to kickoff in memory of Eric Harrison, the legendary youth coach who oversaw the development of many of United's best ever players, includng the Class of 92. How apt would it be if one of United's own was the match-winner today? Step up Marcus Rashford...
KICKOFF: We are underway at Old Trafford, which is rocking on the back of the send off to Harrison which quickly turned from silence to applause. It is a dramatic start too, with Young leaving a back-pass short and De Gea forced into handling the ball by the presence of Firmino. The direct free kick from inside the box is hit straight into the wall by Milner.
It has been an electric start with Liverpool fizzing the ball around nicely and harrying at full speed when they don't have it. United have looked to go direct to Lukaku in the early stages, possibly a tactic to ensure they don't have the ball nicked off them in their own half by the Liverpool press.
United are not pressing Liverpool with the same intensity. They are happy to sit off the Reds defenders and it looks as though they are content to try to hit the visitors on the counter-attack to start with.
Goalmouth action at each end, with Rashford slipping as he pulled the trigger from 20 yards, allowing Alisson an easy save. A dangerous and direct dribble from Salah worries United's defence who are relieved when the cutback falls to Smalling who clears.
UPDATE: An early goal at the Emirates where Alexandre Lacazette has put Arsenal in front against Southampton.
Mane gets to the right byline but his pull back is lacking and calm defending in the box helps United avoid any danger.
Liverpool's full-backs are playing very high with the insurance of Fabinho in front of the back four. That does leave them a little vulnerable to the United break but on the two occasions when the hosts have had the opportunity to do so, Juan Mata hasn't been able to release Lukaku.
United drop deep and Matip accepts the invitation to bring the ball out, embarking on a mazy dribble which takes him past three defenders before Herrera brings him down on the edge of the box. Free kick in a really dangerous position.
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Salah balloons the set piece high over the crossbar. He was never going to get the ball up and down from there and would have been better off trying to fire a shot under the wall.
Rashford and Lukaku are operating as wide forwards with Mata the furthest upfield centrally, the same sort of tactic they used successfully at Spurs but with different personnel who might not be able to execute the same plan. Lingard and Martial aren't fit to start and now United may be about to lose Rashford as well as the forward is limping badly.
SUBSTITUTION: Solskjaer is forced into an early change but it is Herrera and not Rashford who is withdrawn with an injury. The Spaniard has gone straight down the tunnel and Andreas Pereira is on in his place.
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Rashford could soon follow suit with Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez both going through extensive warm-ups on the touchline.
It is the war of the wounded out there. Mata has pulled up for United and now Firmino is down receiving treatment for Liverpool. Mata's final contribution could be a crucial one, to block Salah on the edge of the box after the Red Devils have been left short at the back.
SUBSTITUTION: Mata trudges off with Lingard, who is only 10 days removed from his own hamstring injury, called upon much earlier than Solskjaer would have wanted. Rashford stays on for now but these early injuries could really disrupt United as they did against PSG.
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Liverpool are preparing a change of their own, with Daniel Sturridge getting stripped on the visiting bench. Firmino twisted his ankle earlier on and doesn't seem to have been able to run it off.
SUBSTITUTION: The third substitution of the opening half an hour sees Firmino swapped for Sturridge, who has played very little football lately. Klopp has preferred Origi as an option off the bench but turns to the former England international when it really counts here.
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This first half so far has been completely dominated by injuries and changes. As far as the football is concerned, Liverpool have been on top but all of the stoppages have prevented them from building real momentum.
Sturridge turns away from Shaw and tries to find his range with the most ambitious of 30-yard strikes which rolls into De Gea's grasp.
Good defending from Periera at the back post as Mane looked to get on the end of a cross from Milner, who was booked earlier in the half for wiping out Pogba. Milner could be considered the ultimate villain at Old Trafford having played for Leeds, Man City and now Liverpool.
SHOT! Pogba has the space to get a shot off 25 yards from goal, an attemped curler into the far corner from the left edge of the box. Alisson probably had it covered but Van Dijk didn't take any chances, making the block with his head at the expense of a corner.
UPDATE: Arsenal are on course to climb above United into fourth by 4pm today, having taken a 2-0 lead against Southampton. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has bagged the second for the Gunners.
SAVE! Brilliant goalkeeping from Alisson, who comes out to meet Lingard and times his tackle superbly to cleanly take the ball off the feet of the United midfielder who had been rolled in by Lukaku. It was a cute pick out from the Belgian, but his teammate wasn't as cute as he tried to round the Liverpool stopper.
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SUBSTITUTION: This first half is turning into a nightmare for Solskjaer with Lingard having pulled up coming out of his 50-50 with Alisson and immediately gone to ground. United are forced into a third change before the break, and this time it is Sanchez who is on.
Pereira hangs up a cross to the far post where Lukaku has the leverage on Robertson, knocking a header goalwards but straight at Alisson. The United striker lands awkwardly on the Liverpool full-back who now requires medical attention. Is this Premier League football or 24 hours in A&E?!
There will be four minutes of stoppage time to account for all of the injuries. Solskjaer in particular will be desperate to get to the break in order to regroup his players who are actually finishing the half the stronger.
HALF TIME: MAN UTD 0-0 LIVERPOOL
The half-time score reads 0-0 but the story of the half is 3-1 - substitutions used because of injury. I've never known a half of football like it, with United already forced into all three of their changes because of injury and Liverpool also losing Roberto Firmino. It has completly disrupted the game.
Everything seems to be falling into place for Liverpool to win this game, with United forced into a major tactical rethink and without several key players. Klopp will be disappointed that they have not been able to capitalise on the constant disruption to the United shape. They haven't shown the quality when needed so far but will surely get more chances in the second period.
Rashford appeared to be the first injury casualty of the match but has stayed on while his mates dropped like flies. The in-form United striker has not been himself though, clearly inhibited by a strain he picked up in the opening 15 minutes. He has little choice but to battle through to the end now.
It had all gone smoothly for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prior to today but he's now been thrown into a situation which would flummux even the most experienced of managers. This is now a huge test of his tactical nous, and also the character of the United squad to see if who is left can grind out a result.
It should be noted that the only game that Solskjaer has lost at the helm thus far has been at home to PSG - a match in which United were forced into two first-half changes. Alexis Sanchez was a bit of a scapegoat of that Champions League defeat. Boy does he have a chance to make amends today.
STAT: There has never been a 0-0 between these two teams at Old Trafford in the Premier League era.
KICKOFF: We are back underway in Manchester, with Rashford leading out his United teammates. That first half saw more substitutions made than shots on target. Hopefully the second period will be more about the football.
United have switched to a 4-5-1 with Rashford up top, Lukaku on the right and Sanchez on the left.
United have switched to a 4-5-1 with Rashford up top, Lukaku on the right and Sanchez on the left.
The Red Devils are now very much set up as the away team, in a shape more accustomed to the Mourinho era than Solskjaer. But this is a decision forced upon the Norwegian by those first-half injuries.
Set pieces could be United's best avenue to a goal now. Two free kicks have been knocked in behind the Liverpool defence, with Pogba heading at Alisson and Sanchez nodding wide, but both from offside positions.
Good defensive cover from Pereira again who slides in to block Henderson's cross. The Liverpool captain had been released into space down the right.
Rashford nearly runs onto a ball over the top but a heavy first touch allows Van Dijk and Matip to combine and swallow him up.
SHOT! The ball drops for Rashford whose snap-shot from a tight angle goes wide of the post, never threatening to trouble Alisson.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford is absolutely unbelievable. The home fans are trying to carry their injury-hit side through this game and are making the sort of noise that was a distant memory under Mourinho. Solskjaer has brought this club together and today would be a triumph of that togetherness.
Pogba gets to the left byline but a slip at a crucial time sees his cross scuffed into Alisson's gloves. At the other end, Mane's pass is behind Salah and a promising Liverpool attack breaks down.
Liverpool have played a lot of direct balls in this second half so far, hoping to release Salah in behind, and it has been pretty comfortable for United's defence. They need to be patient and back their ability to pass through this makeshift United midfield.
SHOT! Wijnaldum dances through a couple of tackles and gets a shot away but it is 20 rows back behind De Gea's goal.
A lot was said about Pogba's lack of work rate under Mourinho but he has put in a massive shift today. The Frenchman makes up 10 yards on James Milner to stretch out a leg and block his low cross.
CHANCE! From back-to-back corners, Wijnaldum and Matip both win headers but cannot direct them on target. Wijnaldum's was the easiest chance, steering wide at the near post. On both occasions the Liverpool players felt they were impeded by McTominay but referee Michael Oliver saw nothing wrong with the penalty box wrestling.
SUBSTITUTION: On comes Xherdan Shaqiri, the hero off the bench for Liverpool at Anfield back in December. Jordan Henderson is sacrificed and the skipper doesn't look to happy about it.
Liverpool have switched to 4-4-2 now with Salah and Sturridge up top, and Shaqiri operating from the right wing.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Matip clumsily knocks the ball into his own net but is rescued by the flag, penalising Smalling for offside. The defender had peeled off on the back post to knock a free kick back across goal but didn't time his run quite right.
Shaw has defended Salah really well for the majority of this game. He's arguably been the best player on either side along with Fabinho.
SUBSTITUTION: In fact, Shaw has defended Salah so well that the Egyptian has been hooked for the final 10 minutes. Divock Origi is on, can he produce a repeat of his Everton heroics?
YELLOW CARD! Mane rolls away from Young and the United full-back is forced to bring him down at the cost of a booking. The free kick delivery from Milner is poor though and Young clears at the near post.
YELLOW CARD! The cards are coming thick and fast now with Shaqiri taking one for the team to prevent a United counter-attack from gaining momentum.
A reminder - Liverpool have scored in every away Premier League game this season. Can they find what would be a massive goal here?
Rashford has been playing within himself for the whole of this second half. He's played through the pain but hasn't been the same livewire we have seen in recent weeks, which will be another issue for United's medical staff to address at full time.
Sturridge switches the play to Robertson and then carries on his run into the box but Lindelof stands tall at the back post to head clear.
YELLOW CARD! Wijnaldum enters the book for a trip on Pogba. United have the chance to load the box but only Smalling goes forward. Sturridge and Origi are back for Liverpool so both teams seem content with a point.
Lukaku swings in a brilliant cross from deep but Smalling hesitates at the back post and cannot reach the ball on the stretch.
FULL TIME: MAN UTD 0-0 LIVERPOOL
For the first time ever in the Premier League era, Manchester United and Liverpool draw 0-0 at Old Trafford. It was billed as game to make or break Liverpool's title chances but in reality it has done neither. The point takes the Reds top but they may feel this is a missed opportunity considering the injury setbacks that United had to deal with before and during the game.
That's it from Old Trafford - you can read our match report of the action here. Thanks for joining me for this one, and be sure to stay with Sports Mole for live updates from the EFL Cup final. Enjoy!
That's it from Old Trafford - you can read our match report of the action here. Thanks for joining me for this one, and be sure to stay with Sports Mole for live updates from the EFL Cup final. Enjoy!
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
