Liverpool v Man Utd: Late Harry Maguire header seals late Anfield win for United

Harry Maguire’s late header sealed Manchester United a first Anfield win since 2016 and condemned arch-rivals Liverpool to a fourth-straight defeat in all competitions.

Arne Slot’s Reds were looking to get back on track at home to the Red Devils, who had not tasted victory on enemy turf in their last nine Premier League visits.

But Ruben Amorim’s men were dreaming of a memorable triumph when Bryan Mbeumo scored barely a minute into an action-packed first half that saw Cody Gakpo and Bruno Fernandes hit a post.

The latter also took the former’s cross onto the woodwork before the break, with the Netherlands forward hitting the goalframe once again five minutes after the restart as Liverpool hunted a leveller.

Reds boss Slot eventually went all out attack and substitute Federico Chiesa found main threat Gakpo to tap home from close range in the 78th minute.

But United were not to be denied and Anfield was silenced in the 84th minute, when Fernandes’ looping cross was nodded home by unmarshalled Maguire.

United end long wait for Anfield win

Sir Jim Ratcliffe said during the international break that he was not one for “knee-jerk” reactions, but the United co-owner is allowed to hope that this one win will be the moment the tide finally turned for Amorim.

Approaching the one-year anniversary of his appointment, the Portuguese has been under pressure more often than not thanks to a knack of turning a corner only to then turn back onto himself.

But Amorim has retained the backing of fans, players and the hierarchy during his struggles, with the side heeding his call to rise to the challenge posed by Liverpool and show they are heading in the right direction.

A gutsy, hard-fought performance earned a first Anfield triumph since a 1-0 win in January 2016 and saw United record back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time under Amorim.

Wobbling Liverpool lose four in a row

Slot’s Premier League champions bounced back from their Community Shield shootout loss with seven straight wins in all competitions, which increased optimism around a club that had gone on an eye-watering summer splurge.

But things have gone awry as defeats in the capital at Crystal Palace and Chelsea bookended a Champions League loss away to Galatasaray.

The international break brought a chance to reset but the return to action only brought more frustration, with Liverpool losing three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since February 2021.

Slot said in the build-up to Sunday’s game that he did not believe the players “wake up at night” worrying about the run but the Liverpool boss has plenty to mull over after this.

The first half against United was as bad as anything they have produced since he succeeded Jurgen Klopp, with the side lacking a cutting edge continuing throughout Sunday’s loss.

Maguire enjoys another memorable night

Eyebrows were raised when the team news dropped at Anfield, with Amorim sticking with some players that have had long international breaks and bringing in Maguire for ever-improving Leny Yoro.

It was one of two alterations from the side that beat Sunderland a fortnight ago and proved an inspired decision. Maguire’s leadership and physicality at the heart of the back three provided a solid foundation for the visitors.

A superb first half was followed by sustained Liverpool pressure after the break, which finally led to a breakthrough.

But Maguire is always a threat from attacking situations and he was inexplicably left free to direct a header home late on to put United back ahead.

It lacked the drama of his winner in last season’s jaw-dropping Europa League quarter-final against Lyon but it felt similarly important to the club’s trajectory.