Manchester United completed their first Premier League double over Liverpool in a decade, as Kobbie Mainoo’s sweet second half strike sealed an entertaining 3–2 victory for the hosts.
The Red Devils were rampant early, and seemingly keen to put their depleted rivals to the sword at Old Trafford. Liverpool, without plenty in attack, were a mess defensively, and United’s new boys capitalized. Matheus Cunha struck first before Benjamin Šeško fortuitously added a second, seemingly with his hand.
Liverpool were there for the taking. The Reds suffered again physically against a team proficient on the counter, but they somehow found a way back into the game before the hour mark.
Two Man Utd mistakes allowed Liverpool to draw level, with the momentum suddenly in the away side’s corner. More nervy moments ensued, but Mainoo’s finish against the run of play facilitated another dynamic shift.
This time, there were no mishaps that offered the Reds a glimmer. United maintained their slender advantage to confirm their place in next season’s Champions League.
Heroes and Villains
Heroes
Man Utd’s summer signings once again came to the fore on the big occasion, with Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško’s goals thrusting the impressive hosts into a comfortable 2–0 lead at the interval.
While Šeško ran the channels doggedly and performed with the conviction of a forward who has completely settled in, Cunha’s grit and desire complemented a tidy performance in possession before things went haywire for United.
And, of course, how can we overlook Kobbie Mainoo? That’s some way to celebrate your contract extension.
Villains
Liverpool seized upon a pair of errant passes to get them back into the contest from nowhere, having produced a first half performance worthy of fierce opprobrium.
Amad Diallo replaced the injured Šeško at halftime, and he notched an assist with his first involvement of the match. However, instead of teeing up a red shirt, Amad’s woeful infield pass was stolen by Dominik Szoboszlai, who ran through and scored.
That moment shifted the contest drastically, with Man Utd’s performance mirroring that of Liverpool’s before halftime. The tilt got to the steady head and feet of Senne Lammens, who was outfoxed by Alexis Mac Allister when trying to pass out to Casemiro. The Argentine pinched possession back in a dangerous position, and Cody Gakpo equalized in the blink of an eye.
Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Liverpool (4-2-3-1)
GK: Senne Lammens—4.9: Looked like Lammens would be in for a quiet afternoon with Liverpool struggling to penetrate, but he instead allowed the visitors back into the game.
RB: Diogo Dalot—6.8: Liverpool struggled to contain Dalot’s surges early on, with the right back functioning as a useful attacking outlet. There were far fewer forays once the visitors found a route back into the game.
CB: Harry Maguire—6.9: Undone by Szoboszlai for Liverpool’s first goal, but that was the only notable negative sequence from Maguire.
CB: Ayden Heaven—6.8: There were moments of distinct confidence from Heaven, especially with the ball at his feet. The youngster couldn’t be blamed for United‘s terrible start to the second half.
LB: Luke Shaw—7.4: An injury doubt heading into the game, Shaw started his 35th match of the Premier League season, earning a booking in the process. Shaw was steady enough up against the frantic Jeremie Frimpong, excluding the first 15 minutes of the second half.
DM: Casemiro—7.5: Missed a huge headed opportunity at 2–2, having been a little too eager to run up the score when the hosts held a comfortable lead. It’s not exactly clear what happened to United’s midfield after halftime.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo—8.0: Flow state in the opening period, and was ultimately the match-winner. However, there were concerns in the second half, with both of United’s midfielders getting caught ahead of the ball, allowing Liverpool to wreak havoc on the counter.
RW: Bryan Mbeumo—7.6: His goal contribution drought continued, but there were positives to take from Mbeumo’s performance. The forward’s delivery was crisp, and his smart off-the-ball running often went unnoticed by teammates.
AM: Bruno Fernandes—7.9: The tips of Woodman’s fingers denied Man Utd’s captain his record-equaling 20th Premier League assist of the season. Fernandes’ influence waned after halftime.
LW: Matheus Cunha—8.0: Kick-started an entertaining, quite bizarre soccer match with an early deflected effort. Cunha worked tirelessly and was a threat in the pockets during the first half.
ST: Benjamin Šeško—7.3: Strong end to the season continued on Sunday, even if he didn’t know much about his bundled finish, which surely should’ve been ruled out for handball. Withdrawn at halftime with suspected injury.
SUB: Amad Diallo (46’ for Šeško)—5.6: Never recovered from his error, struggling to assert himself in the contest.
SUB: Patrick Dorgu (76’ for Mbeumo)—6.2: Could’ve done more with the attacking moments he had, but his return will doubtless be welcomed.
SUB: Joshua Zirkzee (87’ for Cunha)—N/A
SUB: Leny Yoro (90’ for Fernandes)—N/A
Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Noussair Mazraoui, Tyrell Malacia, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- Senne Lammens has been so unlike those that have immediately come before him between Manchester United’s posts. The Belgian’s steadiness and the absence of errors means the goalkeeper position refreshingly hasn’t been a talking point all season. Supporters will hope that his wayward hospital pass into Casemiro was merely an end-of-season blip, and not a tone-setter for 2026–27.
- It was a joy to watch Kobbie Mainoo in the first half. The Englishman performed with the zip and confidence that Liverpool’s engine room was bereft of, with Mainoo constantly connecting defense and attack through a combination of subtlety and extravagance in possession. His winning moment felt like just reward for his performance in the opening 45 minutes, even if there was a glaring midfield issue while Liverpool were in the ascendancy after halftime.
The Numbers That Explain Man Utd’s Clinching Win
Manchester United are back on the big stage. pic.twitter.com/hzTUmo7q2y
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) May 3, 2026
- Game state favored Man Utd, having taken an early lead. They were comfortable letting Liverpool play in their half, luring them into a false sense of security, before breaking with precision. United had just 38% of the ball in the match.
- The hosts were worthy winners, dominating the xG battle. While Liverpool mustered just 0.89 xG, Man Utd racked up 2.14—still an underperformance in front of goal, mind.
- The Red Devils performed with greater conviction in the opening period, yet they mustered more xG and more shots in the second half.
| Statistic | Man Utd | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 38% | 62% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 2.14 | 0.89 |
| Total Shots | 18 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 6 | 5 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 1 |
| Passing Accuracy | 79% | 88% |
| Fouls Committed | 12 | 11 |
| Corners | 3 | 2 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Liverpool: Mainoo Brings End to 10-Year Wait.
