An evening of some redemption for Manchester United was not without its customary slice of Anfield agony. Thirty seconds remained of a gripping battle when Joshua Zirkzee spurned the chance of hero status among fans who jeered him six days earlier to present Harry Maguire with a clear sight of Alisson’s goal. Maguire found Row Z of the Anfield Road Stand and United’s wait for a win at Liverpool heads towards a nine-year anniversary on 17 January.
Ruben Amorim visibly despaired after the two maligned United players combined to miss the opportunity to deliver a remarkable victory. But there was plenty to encourage the Portuguese coach, United’s mentality chief among them. Liverpool remain six points clear at the Premier League summit, with a game in hand on nearest challengers Arsenal.
