Manchester United drew 2-2 with rivals Liverpool on Sunday evening but will feel a little frustrated not to have secured all three points after a rousing second half.
United fans were dreaming of another euphoric afternoon against the Reds after dumping them out of the FA Cup in dramatic fashion last month.
The added boost of attempting to spoil Liverpool’s title push was enormous and this game actually had a similar feel to the FA Cup tie.
By that, we mean that Liverpool were able to cut through United at will but were incredibly wasteful in front of goal.
Luis Diaz did put Liverpool ahead in the first half but United went into the break without a shot on goal; the Reds had racked up double figures.
United profited from a Liverpool mistake as Bruno Fernandes lobbed Caoimhin Kelleher from long range before Kobbie Mainoo rattled home a Federico Macheda-esque strike.
United seemed to have pulled a win out of nowhere but Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s foul on Harvey Elliott handed Mohamed Salah a chance to level it from the spot – and he duly obliged.
Throwing away a potential win for the second time in a few days will frustrate United fans, but most will accept that this game could have gone much, much worse…
Jurgen Klopp hails Manchester United star
Liverpool were creating chance after chance in the first half and their profligacy ended up costing them.
United goalkeeper Andre Onana came up with some big saves, especially an early one to deny Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian was brilliantly denied by Onana and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has now moved to praise the United stopper.
Speaking to Sky Sports (07/04, 5:45pm), Klopp suggested that Onana pulled off a simply ‘incredible’ save to delay Szoboszlai as he went through on goal.
Klopp added that Liverpool did everything right but just couldn’t beat Onana in that moment as the former Inter Milan stepped up with a huge save.
“I think the Dom Szoboszlai chance was an incredible save from Onana,” said Klopp. “We did everything right in that moment, but he saved it.”
Onana doing a fine job amid United pressure
Onana came in for huge criticism earlier this season as he made a rather uneasy start to his United career.
The huge price tag and the trust from his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag left many expecting an immediate impact.
Onana was a little shaky to begin with but has been fairly impressive of late, especially with United giving up so many chances.
Only bottom club Sheffield United have conceded more shots per game than United in the Premier League this season.
The Cameroonian is having to withstand major pressure and has equipped himself well in the second half of the campaign.
United need to do a better job of protecting Onana but his save from Szoboszlai summed up why he is so highly rated.