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Having ended Liverpool’s quadruple challenge, Manchester United may have delievered a serious blow to Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of bowing out at the end of the season with a second Premier League title.
Time will tell how damaging a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday will be to the Merseyside club in the three-way fight at the top, but it could have been so much worse if not for Mohamed Salah’s late penalty equaliser.
Klopp was very downbeat, declaring that United – who lost the xG by a whopping 0.87 to 3.92 – would lose to Arsenal in the next title showdown if they played in the same manner.
“If we are still around then that would be great,” he said of his own team’s chances.
“But Arsenal is a good football team. If they (United) play like they did today they (Arsenal) will win the game. I am 100% sure of that.
“We should have won the game, that is clear. We should have had other goals in the first half already.
“As far as I’m concerned, we have a point more than we did before. They put an extra shift in, that’s how it is. We will face that again against Everton. We have to be calm in the whole journey.
“Games are coming thick and fast, which is good for us. I’m not over the moon but it’s OK. The team who wins the league in the end should deserve it. We are in the race and I’m absolutely fine with it.”
On a day Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham moved into fourth spot – the Champions League qualification zone – with their 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest, all eyes were on the Manchester venue for the battle between English football’s most bitter rivals.
Klopp’s team had totally dominated by raining down shots on United’s goal in a mismatched first half, but only managed to lead 1-0 at the break through Luis Diaz’s goal.
The atmosphere totally changed when Bruno Fernandes struck a stunning equaliser from inside the centre circle after a Liverpool mistake and Kobbie Mainoo curled a superb shot into the top corner to give United the lead.
After victories for Arsenal and Manchester City on Saturday, Liverpool were heading towards a second defeat to United, after losing in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last month.
That was until Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s reckless lunge at Harvey Elliott led to referee Anthony Taylor pointing to the spot and Salah converting in the 84th minute.
The draw moved Liverpool level on points with first-placed Arsenal, but behind on goal difference. Champions City are a point behind in third in an ever-tightening title race.
Later, Spurs moved above fifth-place Aston Villa on goal difference – and also with a game in hand – against Forest.
An own-goal from Murillo put the hosts ahead at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before Chris Wood levelled for Forest in the first half.
But two goals in the space of six minutes from Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro after the break sealed the win for Postecoglou’s team.
On Thursday, it was Chelsea pulling off a late comeback to stun Manchester United, but on Sunday Mauricio Pochettino’s team were on the wrong end of stoppage-time drama as last-placed Sheffield United fought back to earn a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane after Ollie McBurnie’s equaliser in the third minute of added time.
Chelsea twice squandered the lead after opening the scoring through Thiago Silva and going in front again through Noni Madueke.
Jayden Bogle equalised in the first half before McBurnie’s late effort earned the Blades a point.
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