Lightweight Manchester United Are No Longer on Liverpool’s Level as They Beat United in A 2-0 Victory at Anfield to Go 16 Points Clear

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the premier League table to 16 points as goals from Virgil Van Dijk ad Mohamed Salah consigned Manchester United to their seventh defeat of the season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side, chasing their first league title in 30 years, also have a game in hand on second placed Manchester City with the Title race appearing more of a procession than a contest.

After a promising start from the visitors, Van Dijk was poorly marked by United as he rose head in a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.

Manchester City’s draw on Saturday and Leicester’s defeat at Burnley earlier in the day handed Klopp’s side a boost, not that they needed one, ahead of Sunday’s game against their old enemies.

Liverpool have not lost a game in 381 days, have lost just one top-flight match in the last 623 days, are unbeaten at Anfield since April 2017 and undefeated in 39 league matches.

The visitors were not given much chance before kickoff and the confirmation of the absence of Marcus Rashford, who is likely to be sidelined for a significant period with a reported stress fracture in his back, only increased the odds against them.

Rashford’s absence meant Ole Gunnar’s side played an adaptation of 3-4-1-2 formation they used in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in October, the only League match Liverpool dropped points in this season with Left Back Luke Shaw employed as a third centre-half.

Georginio Wijnaldum also saw an effort ruled out for offside in the first half as the as the Reds tried but failed extend their advantage. Eventually Salah, who was unusually wasteful for the reds, found a breakthrough in stoppage time to confirm victory.

By Linda Amiani