Jonny Evans and Diogo Dalot of Manchester United battle for possession with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool throughout the Premier League match at Anfield on December 17, 2023 in Liverpool, England.
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A 0-0 draw at Liverpool within the Premier League on Sunday will not win any magnificence pageants, however a cussed and battling efficiency at Anfield suggests Manchester United’s gamers are up for the struggle.
On too many events this season, the alternative has appeared to be the case.
“You have to fight always for the badge,” United supervisor Erik Ten Hag mentioned. “The way we defended it was almost perfect. When we made a mistake there was always a teammate to sort it out. I think that is the big win from today. We have to keep this and bring this every game.”
United had folded on the house of its fiercest rival when routed 7-0 on its final go to in March.
With Ten Hag dealing with hypothesis over his place and his workforce eradicated from the Champions League on the earliest stage, he upset the percentages to finish Liverpool’s 100% 11-game successful run at Anfield this season and in addition put a dent in Jurgen Klopp’s bid to win the Premier League title.
A draw noticed Liverpool knocked off the highest of the desk and into second place by Arsenal, which beat Brighton 2-0 and travels to Anfield on Saturday.
Ten Hag will probably be extra involved about United’s fortunes and, whereas a gutsy show is not going to completely shut out speak of a disaster at Old Trafford, it provides the Dutch coach one thing to construct on.
“We play in very high highs and also sometimes in very low lows,” he mentioned. “If you want to achieve something in a season you can’t be below certain limits so we have to get the consistency.” It was a irritating day for Liverpool, which dominated the possession and possibilities, although Rasmus Hojlund’s second-half effort from shut vary for United was arguably the perfect opening created by both workforce.
“The main thing I don’t like is the result, we should have won the game,” Klopp mentioned. “I can’t remember this kind of dominance against Manchester United as we did today. It was special, the atmosphere was special.” It was United’s first draw within the league this season, having gained 9 and misplaced seven of its 16 video games going into the match.
The consequence leaves Ten Hag’s workforce six factors off fourth-place Manchester City. Second-place Liverpool is one level behind Arsenal and above third-place Aston Villa on purpose distinction.
Arsenal go high
After main the Premier League for 248 days final season with out occurring to win the title, Arsenal seems like a critical challenger once more.
Mikel Arteta’s workforce moved again to the highest of the desk on Sunday after a 2-0 win towards Brighton and Liverpool’s draw.
Arsenal had made probably the most of defending champion Manchester City’s shock draw towards Crystal Palace on Saturday — and the weekend bought even higher for Arteta as Liverpool dropped factors as properly.
Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz each scored within the second half at Emirates Stadium to increase Arsenal’s benefit over fourth-place City to 5 factors.
Aston Villa fights again
Third-place Aston Villa might be a shock challenger if it will possibly proceed its excellent early season type after transferring degree on factors with second-place Liverpool and one behind Arsenal.
Trailing 1-0 at Brentford after Keane Lewis-Potter’s first-half purpose, Unai Emery’s workforce got here again to win 2-1, with Ben Mee’s purple card within the 71st a turning level.
Alex Moreno evened the rating at GTech Community Stadium six minutes later and Ollie Watkins discovered the winner within the eighty fifth.
Villa had Boubacar Kamara despatched off within the seventh minute of stoppage time, however Villa held on to make it 5 wins out of its final six video games within the league.
Later Villa requested for an investigation after Watkins mentioned he had been abused by a Brentford fan.
“Aston Villa FC wants to express its support for Ollie Watkins and, with the utmost respect for the big majority of Brentford fans and for the club, we ask the authorities to investigate this incident to find this individual,” it posted on X, previously referred to as Twitter. “Zero tolerance to abuse in football.”
Watkins referred to the incident after his successful purpose.
“It was a feisty game and it spurred from my celebrations after I scored,” he said. “That’s not all the way down to the dearth of respect to the Brentford followers, however there was one particular person who was abusing me all recreation so I felt prefer it was solely proper to rejoice in entrance of him.
“It was directed to him and that caused a reaction in the last 15 minutes.”
Kudus on the double for West Ham
Mohammed Kudus is wanting like one of many buys of the season after West Ham signed him from Ajax for round $48 million in August.
He struck twice as David Moyes’ workforce beat Wolves 3-0 at London Stadium.
The attacker had additionally scored in Thursday’s Europa League win towards Freiburg and his double on Sunday made it 4 objectives in his final 5 video games. He has eight objectives in all competitions for West Ham.
Jarrod Bowen was additionally on the scoresheet for his tenth of the season.
Tom Lockyer undergoes scans
Luton captain Tom Lockyer was present process assessments and scans following his cardiac arrest on Saturday, Luton mentioned.
The defender collapsed on the sector throughout his workforce’s recreation towards Bournemouth, which was deserted.
Source: www.thehindu.com
