Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United: Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah goals secure win

Liverpool's procession towards their first title in 30 years continued with a hard-fought win over Manchester United at Anfield that extended their lead at the top of the table to 16 points with a game in hand.

The hosts were the superior side but faced late United pressure as they defended Virgil van Dijk's 14th-minute header, before wrapping up the win in style in injury time when goalkeeper Alisson's long clearance set Mohamed Salah clear to score and spark wild celebrations among supporters now convinced that long wait is coming to an end.

Liverpool could have emphasised their superiority as Roberto Firmino had a goal contentiously ruled out by the video assistant referee for Van Dijk's challenge on David de Gea, while the United keeper touched Jordan Henderson's shot on to the post and Salah missed an open goal from six yards.

United, who had striker Marcus Rashford ruled out for a lengthy period before kick-off with a back injury, actually had chances of their own. Andreas Pereira turned wide of an open goal in the first half and Anthony Martial shot over the top from an inviting position after the break.

It came as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side rallied in the second half, but it was to no avail and Liverpool march relentlessly on, with 21 wins from their first 22 games.

Liverpool simply unstoppable

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the second goal against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday — Liverpool have scored in all their Premier League games this season

It is simply a case of when the coronation comes as Liverpool reeled off yet another win en route to the Premier League title. They are not only doing their own job but watching in satisfaction as the chasing pack - chasing from afar it must be said - fall further behind, with dropped points for Manchester City and Leicester City on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

There was rare anxiety around Anfield in the closing minutes before the sweet release of Salah's goal - Alisson rightly running the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations after his long clearance sent the Egyptian clear to score.

Liverpool could have wrapped up victory more comfortably, but with the imperious Van Dijk at the back and menace up front, it is hard to see how they can be stopped in one game - and they certainly will not be in this title race.

And, of course, victory was made even sweeter as it was at the expense of Manchester United, the old foe who famously fulfilled Sir Alex Ferguson's promise to knock Liverpool off their perch.

United now trail Liverpool by 30 points and this is not a gap that flatters Klopp's men.

The gulf is not only huge between Liverpool and United. In the Premier League context, it is huge between Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League.

Man Utd trail in mediocrity

Anthony Martial — Martial had Manchester United's best chance but fired well over when in on goal

Manchester United may point to the fact they were in with a chance of gaining a point until the closing moments here but any suggestion they matched Liverpool is an exercise in delusion.

In United's defence they are without key players such as Rashford, Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba but they now trail Liverpool on and off the pitch by an embarrassing margin.

Solskjaer's side were clinging on for so much of this game and squandered the big opportunities when they came in the shape of those chances for Pereira and Martial.

Martial's wild finish was symptomatic of his performance. United were counting on him even more in Rashford's absence but he simply failed to deliver. He was laboured and lack-lustre.

United did close down Liverpool's potent full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson for large parts of the game but there is a glaring lack of quality that has been exposed so often this season.

Liverpool found it was a very long way back to title glory once momentum had been lost and too many poor decisions made.

On this evidence, it does not look like it will be any easier for Manchester United.

No Rashford, no fear factor for Man Utd - Jenas analysis

Man of the match - Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

'The energy was incredible' - what they said

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "It's a big relief, I was really happy with 85-90% of the game, we were brilliant. We dominated the game, especially in the first half. The energy they put on the pitch was incredible.

"On a normal day we would have scored three times in the first half and in the second half until 65 minutes we should have been more clear.

"But then United have obvious quality, played a bit more football and we had to defend. There were little mistakes here and there, we didn't use possession well enough and so the game stays open.

"Then we scored a wonderful, wonderful goal at the end, a really good feeling."

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Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United: Liverpool played sensational football - Klopp

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "The players gave us everything. Today we hung on a bit at the start of second half, but the last 25-30 minutes we pressed them and pushed them back. I'm disappointed with conceding from a corner and with the last kick - but very many positives.

"I felt in the second half we performed really well against a good team and at a difficult place.

"We didn't have quality with our finishing or last pass. Fred was absolutely top and David de Gea. As a team we worked together as a unit."

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Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pleased with 'many positives'

91 from 93 - Liverpool's incredible run and other stats

Liverpool have won consecutive home Premier League games against Manchester United for the first time since winning three in a row between September 2008 and March 2011.
Manchester United have lost nine of their last 16 away Premier League games (W3 D4 L9), failing to score in eight of those games.
Liverpool have taken 91 points from the last 93 available to them in the Premier League (P31 W30 D1).
Liverpool became the first team since Arsenal in 2001-02 to score in their first 22 Premier League matches of the season - the Gunners went on to score in every game and win the title that season.
Liverpool have kept seven consecutive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since December 2006 (seven in a row).
Since the start of last season, Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has more Premier League assists than any other player (21).
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson became the first Reds goalkeeper to assist a Premier League goal since March 2010, when Pepe Reina assisted against Sunderland.

What next?

Liverpool travel to Wolves on Thursday, 23 January (20:00 GMT) while Manchester United are at home to Burnley one day earlier (20:15).

Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Liverpool

1Alisson
66Alexander-Arnold
12Gomez
4van Dijk
26Robertson
15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forLallanaat 66'minutes
14Henderson
5Wijnaldum
11SalahBooked at 90mins
9FirminoSubstituted forOrigiat 83'minutes
10ManéSubstituted forFabinhoat 83'minutes

Substitutes

3Fabinho
13Adrián
18Minamino
20Lallana
27Origi
32Matip
48Jones

Man Utd

1de GeaBooked at 25mins
2Lindelöf
5Maguire
23ShawBooked at 72minsSubstituted forDalotat 87'minutes
29Wan-Bissaka
17Fred
31MaticBooked at 8mins
53WilliamsSubstituted forGreenwoodat 74'minutes
15PereiraSubstituted forMataat 74'minutes
21James
9Martial

Substitutes

3Bailly
4Jones
8Mata
14Lingard
20Dalot
22Romero
26Greenwood

Referee:: Craig Pawson
Attendance:: 52,916

Match Stats

Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamMan Utd

Possession: Home53%; Away47%

Shots: Home16; Away9

Shots on Target: Home5; Away4

Corners: Home11; Away5

Fouls: Home7; Away10

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Liverpool 2, Manchester United 0.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, Manchester United 0.

Booking

Posted at 90'+4'

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+3'

Goal! Liverpool 2, Manchester United 0. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alisson following a fast break.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt saved. Juan Mata (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt blocked. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Jordan Henderson.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Virgil van Dijk.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Adam Lallana (Liverpool).

Posted at 89'

Juan Mata (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 88'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Substitution

Posted at 87'

Substitution, Manchester United. Diogo Dalot replaces Luke Shaw because of an injury.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Adam Lallana (Liverpool).

Posted at 86'

Luke Shaw (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 83'

Adam Lallana (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Liverpool. Divock Origi replaces Roberto Firmino.

Substitution

Posted at 83'

Substitution, Liverpool. Fabinho replaces Sadio Mané.

Posted at 82'

Offside, Manchester United. Aaron Wan-Bissaka tries a through ball, but Mason Greenwood is caught offside.

Posted at 81'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Andrew Robertson.

Posted at 76'

Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sadio Mané.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Manchester United. Mason Greenwood replaces Brandon Williams.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Manchester United. Juan Mata replaces Andreas Pereira.

Booking

Posted at 72'

Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 72'

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).

Posted at 69'

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).

Posted at 68'

Offside, Manchester United. Andreas Pereira tries a through ball, but Fred is caught offside.

Posted at 67'

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Alisson.

Posted at 67'

Attempt saved. Fred (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 67'

Attempt saved. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fred.

Substitution

Posted at 66'

Substitution, Liverpool. Adam Lallana replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Posted at 65'

Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 65'

Foul by Fred (Manchester United).

Posted at 63'

Attempt missed. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum following a fast break.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).

Posted at 60'

Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).