Manchester United ends Liverpool’s perfect Premier League record
Liverpool’s 17-game winning streak in the Premier League came to an end after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The result will still be a relief for Jurgen Klopp’s side, which needed a late Adam Lallana goal to salvage a draw after Marcus Rashford had put United in front in the first half.
United, now without a victory in four Premier League games, will feel aggrieved it couldn’t muster a much-needed victory having dominated large parts of the game and held the lead until the final five minutes.
Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and features
The draw sees Liverpool with a six-point lead at the top of the table, while United languishes in 13th where a win would have moved the home side up to eighth.
“We’ve come to Old Trafford and we’ve got a point — we’d probably have taken that at the start of the season,” Lallana told Sky Sports.
“Were still unbeaten and huge positives considering we didn’t play our best.
“We learn, we move on, we’ve got a game mid-week (against Genk in the Champions League) now and then Spurs at Anfield at the weekend.”
READ: Wilfried Zaha says he’s ready to walk off the pitch if he’s racially abused
VAR comes into play
Despite having less possession, United created the game’s best opportunities and was rewarded after 36 minutes when Daniel James whipped in a well-placed cross into the path of Rashford, who poked his shot past Alisson.
The opener wasn’t without controversy, however, as a video assistant referee (VAR) review was needed to confirm Rashford’s winner. After a check to determine whether Victor Lindelof fouled Divock Origi in the build-up, it was allowed to stand.
VAR was again called upon minutes later to rule out a potential Liverpool equalizer when Sadio Mané was adjudged to have handled the ball before slotting a shot past David de Gea.
Liverpool was without star striker Mo Salah, who suffered an ankle injury in its previous league game against Leicester City, and the Egyptian’s absence was felt up front where the Reds lacked attacking impetus.
READ: El Clasico postponed amid Catalan protests
The visitors struggled to create chances in the second half, but the breakthrough eventually came when Andy Robertson’s cross found Adam Lallana in space at the back post and the substitute tapped in for his first goal in nearly 18 months.
Liverpool pressed for a winner in the game’s closing stages as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came close with a long-range effort.
His shot drifted wide of the right-hand post and the game ended a draw.
“For me, we deserved the three points,” Rashford told Sky Sport after the game.
“I don’t think they did enough to get a draw out of the game or a win. So of course it’s disappointing but it’s football, these type of things can happen. It was obviously a big opportunity missed, a big occasion for the players, for the fans, and we just fell short.
“I think now midweek we can hopefully get a win (against Serbian side FK Partizan) and that can start a little run for us and that’s what we’re looking to now.”
