Live Commentary: Liverpool vs Manchester United

Hello and welcome to Nigerianeye's live coverage of the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield.


Jurgen Klopp's charges are enjoying a great run of form, winning their last four league games, and will go joint top by triumphing against their bitter rivals.

Jose Mourinho's side, meanwhile, have already lost two matches in the top flight this season and currently sit five points behind leaders Manchester City.

However, United's recent record against Liverpool is strong, winning the last four league meetings between the teams.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

LIVERPOOL: Karius, Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Firmino, Mane, Sturridge
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Moreno, Klavan, Lucas, Grujic, Lallana, Origi

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Blind, Fellaini, Pogba, Rashford, Herrera, Young, Ibrahimovic

MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Rojo, Shaw, Carrick, Lingard, Mata, Rooney

Liverpool drop points at home for the first time this season as Manchester United come to Anfield and claim a goalless draw. You can't deny that Jose Mourinho has done a job at the home of his biggest rivals, claiming a point against an in-form side at their patch, but it's not going to go down in the classics scrapbook, is it? Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match.

90+3 min FULL TIME: LIVERPOOL 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

90+3 min SUBSTITUTION: One last change for United as Ashley Young is replaced by Luke Shaw.

90+2 min BOOKING: Now Fellaini goes into the book as he kicks away the ball after a foul had been awarded.

90 min Three minutes added on here... can't come soon enough.

90 min BOOKING: Ibrahimovic earns himself a yellow card for a late nudge on Can.

88 min Young breaks down the left flank, shifts the ball onto his right foot and tries a cross, but it's blocked. Coming up to injury time and I would be very surprised if we had a winning goal now, looks like things are petering out.

85 min SUBSTITUTIONS: Once last throw of the dice for Klopp as he takes off James Milner and Roberto Firmino and brings on Alberto Moreno and Divock Origi. Can they conjure something up in the last few minutes?

84 min CHANCE! Sort of... it would have been a chance were it not for a crucially important last-ditch tackle from Valencia, who bailed his side out after Coutinho put Firmino through on goal with a defence-splitting pass!

83 min Truth be told, Rooney appears sluggish. Milner is easily able to get in behind him - playing at wingback, it seems - and sends a cross into the middle, but it misses everyone and the visitors clear at the back.

80 min So we've got about 10 minutes left plus stoppage time and, despite the tempo increasing a little after the break, it really looks like it will end goalless, unless we have a moment of magic. As I type, United win their first corner - yep, this late on in the game...

78 min Moments earlier Lallana had nearly unlocked United again as he slipped the ball to Firmino, leaving Blind beaten, but the linesman's flag cut short the attack.

77 min SUBSTITUTION: Prolonged boos ring around Anfield which can signify plenty of things really when United are in town, but in this case, it's former Evertonian Wayne Rooney coming on in place of Marcus Rashford. The first change of the night for the visitors.

74 min Blind slips and gifts possession to Mane, who bolts down the right. He has Firmino in support but his pass is cut out by Bailly - good job he wasn't ruled out following that scare in training, could have a different game otherwise, he's been immense.

71 min CHANCE! When the game needs a spark of class, Coutinho tends to be the man who provides it, and he comes so close to opening the scoring! He strikes the ball from 30 yards out, clean as a whistle and heading for the top corner, but De Gea flings himself across his goal and makes an acrobatic right-handed save!

68 min It's gone scrappy again as United try to re-establish momentum, Ibrahimovic is trying to move the ball to the flanks, while a Rashford cross comes to nothing and then Blind concedes a free-kick. Not much happening at the minute.

66 min Nothing comes of the set piece as Milner's ball is cleared by Bailly and Smalling wins a free kick, but since Zlatan's effort, it's been all Liverpool.

65 min Liverpool just beginning to build a bit of momentum now that Lallana is on the field - he goes on to win his side a corner...

62 min CHANCE! The substitute makes an immediate impact as he plays a quick one-two with Coutinho and lets rip from 20 yards out. The effort goes wide, but Lallana's injection of energy and flair can be seen from the off.

60 min SUBSTITUTION: First change of the night as Daniel Sturridge comes off on the hour and Adam Lallana, whose inclusion in the matchday squad was a surprise, is subbed on.

58 min CHANCE! Now we're talking! Can marauds through the middle and, despite being stifled by several United bodies, forces a shot which goes through Smalling's legs, but De Gea dives low and gets his hands onto the ball!

56 min Mane tries to break through the United back line but slips and falls before Coutinho reclaims possession and is brought down by Herrera.

54 min CHANCE! And that's the best chance of the game so far - haven't had much to work with, granted - as Pogba puts over a pinpoint cross from the right towards the back post, Ibrahimovic peels past his marker but heads wide from eight yards out!

53 min More sterling work from Herrera as he comes across to deny Mane after he got the better of Bailly, and moments later, the Spaniard manages to scoop a clever pass into the area for Ibrahimovic, who should have done better.

50 min A let-off for Karius as he tries to get the ball to Lovren but messes up and finds Pogba instead! The Frenchman dithers, though, with the keeper out of position, and his pass to Ibrahimovic ends in an offside call.

49 min Now it's the hosts' turn to threaten, with Coutinho playing in Firmino down the left. The latter tries to find Clyne with a probing cross, but Young is there to hack away.

48 min United with the early forays as Valencia charges down the right and sends a cross into the box which Matip clears, but only as far as Fellaini, who in turn is unable to do much with the ball and Liverpool thwart the danger.

46 min KICKOFF: Back underway as neither side makes any changes.


Chances have been few and far between at Anfield between two of the most famous club sides in the world. The action has been concentrated around midfield. It's been scrappy and tight - which one would argue is just how Mourinho would have wanted it.

45+1 min HALF TIME: LIVERPOOL 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

45 min BOOKING: A second Man Utd player sees yellow as Young is punished for dissent after confronting the ref for not booking Henderson, who had tackled Herrera.

44 min BOOKING: We have the first yellow card of the game as Bailly fouls Sturridge about 30 yards out. Coutinho stands over the free kick but curls it straight at De Gea.

42 min Apparently a Norwegian channel has broadcasted 12 hours of build-up prior to the game. Based on the action, they might be wondering if it was a bit unnecessary...

41 min The hosts have had the vast majority of the play in the last 10 minutes and they try and pick the United lock again, with Matip trying a one-two with Sturridge, but Smalling deals with the danger.

39 min United are dropping deeper and deeper as Mane breaks down the right and attempts a backheel into the box, but Herrera is there to clear.

37 min Coutinho charges down the left flank but his low cross can't quite find Sturridge and the ball is cleared. Liverpool beginning find momentum here.

35 min Liverpool win the first corner of what has been an uneventful first half so far, which Henderson takes, but Ibrahimovic leaps and heads the ball away from danger.

33 min Ibrahimovic hooks a ball over the top for Pogba to chase but Karius reads it well and gets to it first.

31 min It's getting increasingly physical as Valencia fouls Milner then Herrera gets involved and trips Coutinho - referee Taylor steps in and calms everybody down as the fans' voices get ever louder.

29 min CHANCE! Spoken too soon perhaps as Liverpool maraud forward, the ball falling to Henderson out wide. He swings it to the back post, where Firmino blasts a header towards goal, but it's perfectly positioned for De Gea to catch.

27 min United have done a good job of stifling Liverpool, who cannot get out of their half at the moment. Just what Mourinho wanted?

26 min Anthony Taylor lets another challenge one go as Herrera hacks Mane down and the Liverpool fans demand a booking, but nothing is awarded.

25 min Rashford, who has had a mixed game so far, skins Milner down the right and whips a low cross into the six-yard box, but Reds stopper Karius palms the ball away with Ibrahimovic lurking in the box.

22 min Now it's Liverpool who get the ball back and are eager to make possession count - Can finds space about 25 yards out and goes for goal from distance, but the outcome, like every other long-ranger so far in this game, sees the ball sail over the bar.

20 min United are dominating possession at the minute and appear very comfortable in doing so. Herrera sprays the ball out wide to Rashford but a lapse in concentration sees it slip under the teenager's foot and out for a throw.

18 min Bailly, who had an injury scare in the warm-up, puts in a top tackle on the advancing Firmino and steals the ball. Herrera then wins a free kick from Coutinho a few seconds later up the other end.

17 min Valencia plays in Pogba, who then picks out Ibrahimovic in space about 25 yards out - the big man tries his luck with a first-time shot from range but it deflects off Matip and Karius makes an easy save.

15 min CHANCE! Pogba, who is yet to really get into the action, finds space about 35 yards out and decides to let rip with an effort, but it blazes well over. More sarcastic cheers from the home fans, with Rashford in acres of space out on the right.

13 min Pogba tries to get himself onto the ball but Henderson gets a good tackle in to snuff out the danger. A very intense opening to this game.

11 min The visitors are swift to get the ball up the other end and Ibrahimovic wins a free kick from Lovren about 40 yards out. Young lofts a ball to the back post, but the move is thwarted as Fellaini strays offside.

9 min Liverpool starting to put United under a bit of pressure, but Milner's pass up the left flank is too heavy for Firmino and Bailly shepherds the ball out of play.

8 min Coutinho dispossesses Valencia with a tackle and plays the ball to the feet of Firmino. The 25-year-old then cuts in from the left and crosses towards Sturridge, but Smalling is well placed to head the ball away.

7 min Matip brings Pogba down about 40 yards out and Ibrahimovic elects to take the resulting free kick, but the Swede skews it high into the stands. Cue cheers from the Liverpool fans.

4 min Valencia plays in Rashford down the right, who in turn tries to get the better of Lovren, but ends up running the ball out of play.

2 min Rashford clatters into Milner on the halfway line - that could have been worthy of a booking, but the ref has let it slide.

0 min KICKOFF! The visitors get proceedings underway! Here we go folks!