Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool: Mainoo winner secures Champions League spot
Kobbie Mainoo strikes late as Manchester United edge Liverpool in a five-goal thriller at Old Trafford to move six points clear in the race for the top four.
Kobbie Mainoo was the hero at Old Trafford as Manchester United secured Champions League qualification and completed their first league double over Liverpool in a decade with a breathless 3-2 victory.
On a day charged with emotion following news that Sir Alex Ferguson had been taken to hospital after falling unwell at the stadium, Michael Carrick’s side produced a performance of grit and occasional brilliance to move six points clear of their rivals in the race for the top four.
United appeared to have the contest wrapped up within 15 minutes. Matheus Cunha, returning from injury, opened the scoring after just eight minutes when his effort took a significant deflection off Alexis Mac Allister to wrong-foot Freddie Woodman. The lead was doubled shortly after when Benjamin Sesko pounced on a mistake by Woodman, who failed to deal with a low Bruno Fernandes cross, allowing the striker to bundle home.
However, Arne Slot’s side emerged for the second half transformed. Just two minutes after the restart, Dominik Szoboszlai intercepted an Amad Diallo pass on the halfway line, drove into the box, and nutmegged Diogo Dalot before slotting into the bottom corner.
The comeback seemed complete in the 56th minute. A catastrophic error from United goalkeeper Senne Lammens saw his pass intercepted by Mac Allister, who fed Szoboszlai to square for Cody Gakpo to tap into an empty net.
Old Trafford, briefly stunned into silence, was reignited in the 77th minute. After Luke Shaw’s cross was only partially cleared by Mac Allister, Mainoo anticipated the bouncing ball at the edge of the area, side-footing a composed finish into the bottom corner to spark bedlam in the Stretford End.
The win continues an extraordinary run for interim manager Carrick, who has now overseen victories against Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool since taking charge in January. For Liverpool, the defeat leaves their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread as they fall six points behind United with only three games remaining.
