Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a late header, in a pulsating clash between bitter rivals Manchester United and Liverpool end in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. James Milner fired Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot in the first half. It was the big Swede’s 14th goal in 20 Premier League games since joining PSG in the summer putting him as the joint top scorer.
Unlike October’s dull goalless draw at Anfield, the 50th Premier League meeting of the sides lived up to the pre-match hype.
Paul Pogba, who probably had the worst game in a Manchester United shirt, missed a brilliant opportunity to put United ahead prior to Milner’s strike, while Simon Mignolet had made key saves from Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the first half, but had barely been troubled prior to the veteran forwards late equalizer.
Liverpool’s breakthrough came maybe against the run of play when world record signing Paul Pogba handled in the box from Milner’s corner and the Englishman beat David De Gea to put the visitors ahead.
Mignolet again got down to make a significant save in the first half to keep out Ibrahimovic’s powerfully struck free-kick.
Mourinho got on Wayne Rooney at the break, while Klopp brought on Philippe Coutinho who almost made an instant impact by setting up Roberto Firmino only for De Gea to keep out the Brazilian.
If anything, the visitors were looking more likely to put the game beyond United after Coutinho’s introduction, Adam Lallana denied by De Gea and Georginio WIjnaldum just off-target with a header.
However in the final few stages of the game, Ibrahimovic struck in dramatic fashion, his looping header from Antonio Valencia’s cross beating Mignolet in the 84th minute after a despairing clearance from Lovren, the move kept alive when substitute Marouane Fellaini had headed Rooney’s cross against the post.
United’s nine-match winning streak throughout all competitions is now over, but they still sit within five points of second place Tottenham with Liverpool being level on points but with a lesser goal difference after salvaging a draw.
