01/19/2020 – 19:39
- The 'reds' are sixteen points ahead of the City of Pep Guardiola, second ranked
- Of 22 matches played in Premier, Liverpool have won 21 and drew one
The Dutchman Virgil Van Dijk and the Egyptian Mohamed Salah shredded Manchester United (2-0) to leave the English football classic in Liverpool and touch the first league in thirty years.
With 16 points ahead of the second classified, Manchester City, which played against Crystal Palace, Liverpool is closer than ever to the title.
Only the stops of the Spanish David De Gea prevented the short triumph, initiated by Van Dijk head, was more bulky, keeping Manchester United alive until the end of the match, at which time Salah sentenced against it.
The 'Red' machinery was put into operation to deactivate the good start of United, which accumulated people in the middle thanks to the defense of five and tried to face Liverpool 4-3-3 in the absence of a fast point like Marcus Rashford, injured, up.
Without finding solutions below, Liverpool resorted to the stopped ball. Alexander-Arnold, with a changed leg, sent a threaded corner to the heart of the area, where Van Dijk, among three United players, one of them Harry Maguire, rose and nodded to De Gea's nets.
United was not bad, but Liverpool, as a team, is light years away. In addition, if it were not for the VAR, the blow to rest would have been much greater.
A few minutes later, video arbitration would deactivate Liverpool's second. Van Dijk beat De Gea with a ball, but it was necessary, but the referee let go. However, the 'Red Devils' quickly lost the ball and Firmino curved the ball at an angle. The referee granted the goal, while the United players ate it, and it had to be the VAR who canceled it.
Controversy and VAR
The controversy did not end there, since the Dutch Wijnaldum, still in the first part, defined in front of De Gea a brilliant triangulation on the left side, but the lineman raised the flag announcing offside.
The VAR took a look and confirmed the decision of the lineman. A few centimeters separated Liverpool from the second, just like in the 44th minute when De Gea's foot prevented Mané from putting the 2-0 in a hand in hand.
The Spanish kept United alive. He, the VAR, the stick and an erratic Salah who had the goal as soon as he left the locker room tunnel. He found the ball to pleasure in the small area and saw no door. De Gea responded with a stop at the end of Henderson who came to touch the wood.
Without knowing very well how, United remained in the game. And without knowing how, Fred and especially Martial had two chances in front of the Brazilian Alisson Becker to tie.
But United has lost that ability to hurt with little and although Liverpool fell in the final minutes, one against time almost completed, with an impeccable quick launch of Allison on Salah, gave the final 2-0.
Liverpool has 64 points and has won 21 of the 22 games it has played. He has 16 points ahead of City, with one game less and the Premier is closer every day.
For its part, United does not take advantage of Chelsea's prick and will continue another day to five points of the 'Blues' that mark the Champions League positions.
– Data sheet:
2 – Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Lallana, m.66), Henderson; Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino (Origi, m.83) and Mané (Fabinho, m.83).
0 – Manchester United: De Gea; Shaw (Dalot, m.88), Williams (Greenwood, m.75), Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Matic, Fred, Pereira (Mata, m.74); Martial and James.
Goals: 1-0, m.14: Van Dijk. 2-0, m.93: Salah.
Referee: Craig Pawson admonished Salah (m.93) by the locals and Matic (m.8), De Gea (m.25) and Shaw (m.72) by the visitors.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the twenty-third day of the Premier League played at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool.