ANFIELD IS NOT A FORTRESS THIS YEAR! Manchester United beat Liverpool in end-to-end classic for first away win in 9 years.

Sunday 19 October 2025

Liverpool Vs Manchester United

Premier League 2025/26

Anfield, Liverpool, UK

ANFIELD IS NOT A FORTRESS THIS YEAR! Manchester United beat Liverpool in end-to-end derby for first away win in 9 years. 

Harry Maguire's later winner propelled Manchester United to their first win at Anfield in 9 years, as they beat Liverpool to consign the reigning champions to 4 losses in a row.

Match Preview:

The game of the weekend. The battle of the northwest. Lancashire Vs Merseyside. Two teams, who are certified legends of the English Premier League for many years in the sport of football. Manchester United and Liverpool square off for the first time this season after their thrilling 2-2 draw this year at the start of the new year last season. Now, it's different. Defending champions Liverpool are stuttering after 3 consecutive losses in all competitons, all away from home, whilst Manchester United are eager to build confidence after their home win over newly promoted Sunderland seeking back-to-back wins under Ruben Amorim, who has had a tough time so far, until they have started finding the momentum they needed. Both teams have spent big money, attracting big signings like, Alexander Isak to Liverpool on deadline day, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to United, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike from the Bundesliga, you name it! After recent performances, things are seriously heating up in the Premier League. Can Liverpool regain top spot and end their 3-game losing run, or will Ruben Amorim's United get successive wins for the first time under the Portuguese?

TEAM NEWS:

Liverpool: Recent form = (WWLLL) Recent Result: 2-1 Loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, October 4 2025.

With Alisson set to be injured for the next two months, Arne Slot names the same team that lost to Chelsea before the international break. Isak is preferred to Ekitike, as Wirtz is benched alongside Frimpong, as the Dutchman hopes that results can turn their way.

Starting XI: Mamardashvili, Kerkez, Van Dijk (C), Konate, Bradley, MacAllister, Gravenberch, Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Salah, Isak (Formation: 4-2-3-1 Wide)

Bench: Woodman, Wirtz, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Frimpong

Manchester United: Recent Form = (WLWLW) Recent Result: 2-0 Win to Sunderland at Old Trafford, October 4 2025.

Amorim makes two changes to United's XI after their home win over Sunderland, with Harry Maguire and Matheus Cunha replacing Leny Yoro and Benjamin Sesko, as they seek back to back wins for the first time this season. Summer signing Lammens is preferred to Bayindir for the second successive game running.

Starting XI: Lammens, Shaw, Maguire, De Ligt, Dalot, Fernandes (C), Casemiro, Amad, Mount, Mbeumo, Cunha.

Bench: Bayindir, Dorgu, Yoro, Ugarte, Sesko, Mainoo

ONES TO WATCH:

Alexander Isak: A £125m move to Liverpool from Newcastle, has ended a big transfer saga, of whether he will stay or leave to explore a better option. Liverpool did show interest earlier, but they eventually signed him, despite signing Ekitike for close to 95m euros, and Newcastle signing Nick Woltemade for almost £100m. Can he deliver on a huge game today?

Bruno Fernandes: Captain magnifico has been the ever so-reliant engine in the United midfield, showing grit and passion, as he hopes to lead his side to a famous win at Anfield in 2025, after a rocky start to the season. Being the top contributer of his team so far, will he be the difference maker today?

FIRST HALF:

Off we go in this classic of a Premier League encounter! The usual boos are out at Anfield to greet the fierce rivalry, which has been exciting to watch. United last won this clash at Old Trafford in September 2022 under Erik Ten Hag, but since that win, Liverpool won twice including the famous 7-0 hammering here 3 years ago in March. This year, it's much different. And we have the first goal already inside 2 minutes! UHH! A clash of heads between Van Dijk and MacAllister from Maguire's headed pass, but play goes on! Liverpool are frustrated that play has not been stopped, and as a result of that, Amad takes off, great dribbling, finds Mbuemo, WHO SCORES THE FIRST GOAL AFTER 2 MINUTES! WHAT AN ELECTRIC START FOR MANCHESTER UNITED, AS THEY SILENCE THE KOP END!! United won't care! That is the start that Amorim and his team wanted!! A headed ball from Maguire, and the finish was a good one too from the Cameroonian! His second PL goal for Manchester United this season, and the first away from home! Liverpool 0 - Manchester United 1!!

Mbuemo and Amad celebrate with Bruno and Cunha as United scored the first goal of the contest!

This season, Liverpool have scored 4+ goals in the 80th minute and over to go on and win 5 games this season. Now, the form has turned around and they've lost back-to-back league games, conceding late on. Now, the onus is on the Reds to rally back into the game. Are they going to do that? We will have to find out, as they rallied into the game. Van Dijk headed an effort wide from Salah's free kick on the quarter hour mark (15th minute), and a shout for handball was not given as a penalty, as Amad's did handball, but the arm was in a natural position, hence it was not given as a penalty. Big let off for Manchester United. And again, Liverpool had a great chance, but Gakpo was so unlucky on that occasion, almost curling the ball into the bottom corner, but the post came to Lammens's rescue. So close to being the leveller!! And United wasted a great chance to go 2-0 up! Shaw almost gave that away! But great recovery in the end, as he finds Dalot, onto Bruno Fernandes, superb pass to Amad, who dances around Kerkez , squares it up, AND BLASTED WIDE BY BRUNO FERNANDES! THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2-0! Big chance gone to waste from the Portuguese! Liverpool continued to plug away at United, but very little they could do, as once again, United stood tall as Lammens denied Isak one on one, and United spurned a chance at the other end, as they forced two good saves from Mamardashvili who hasn't had much to do other than the two interventions today. END OF FIRST HALF! Half time at Anfield, and United have held onto their precious lead. Liverpool were really unlucky not to have been level, had it not been for Cody Gakpo. Lammens and the United defence looked very solid throughout, and the threat of Amad continues to weaken the hosts. A lot of work to do for the defending champions, in what is going to be a great second half! Not much in terms of xG for both teams, with United slightly edging their rivals with 0.74 xG compared to the home side's 0.57 xG.

Second Half

Away we go in the second half, with Liverpool behind in this contest and looking to seal a comeback. And 4 minutes in, Liverpool hit the woodwork, yet again! Free kick for Liverpool after Salah was tangled down by Dalot. Salah takes it, great control by Gakpo, AND HE'S HIT THE POST AGAIN!! HOW UNLUCKY IS CODY GAKPO TODAY?! That's now thrice he has hit the post! And all of the efforts have stayed out! Miraculously, United are surviving!! This has done them hard! But onto the game after 3 changes each into the 65th minute, Liverpool again created great chances, but Salah misses the target! Absolutely shocking! He hasn't had too many chances in this game, but he misses his big opportunity to draw Liverpool level in the game! 4 minutes later, substitute Ekitike just fires wide after a good run, but the ball goes wide of the target. And 9 minutes later, Liverpool equalised finally! Great tackle from Van Dijk as he wins the ball back off Mbuemo, finds Ekitike, who does brilliantly to beat Dorgu, and dribbles into the area. Crowded pile of white shirts stop, on it goes to Wirtz, dances around the defence into Chiesa, AND INTO CODY GAKPO! LIVERPOOL LEVEL!! CODY GAKPO FINALLY GETS HIS GOAL AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS IN HITTING THE WOODWORK. OH BOY, DID ARNE SLOT'S TEAM NEEDED THAT! It wasn't easy today, but great persistence in the end from the Dutch winger to draw his side level! 

Gakpo equalised for Liverpool with 12 minutes of normal time to go

And we are all square heading to the final 10 minutes! Mamardashvili's long ball hasn't worked, and Maguire heads it towards Sesko, great footwork from the Slovenian, finds Cunha, into the area, and GOOD BLOCK from Szoboszlai! Excellent defending from the Hungarian! And it's a corner to Manchester United. And United scored with 6 minutes left to play. Short corner from Bruno, passes it straight to Mbuemo, who fires the shot hard, blocked by Chiesa, in from Bruno, HARRY MAGUIRE!!! OF ALL PEOPLE, IT IS HARRY MAGUIRE WHO WINS THE GAME FOR MANCHESTER UNITED!! WHAT A TIME TO REDEEM YOURSELF!! MISSED A GOLDEN CHANCE EARLIER THIS YEAR IN JANUARY, NOW HE HEADS HOME BRUNO FERNANDES'S CROSS AND SINKS LIVERPOOL TO THEIR 4TH STRAIGHT DEFEAT IN ALL COMPETTITONS!! ABSOLUTE EMOTIONS FROM RUBEN AMORIM AND HIS TEAM! LIVERPOOL 1 - MANCHESTER UNITED 2!!

Harry Maguire does the signature knee slide to the Liverpool fans to celebrate Man United's second goal.

How big of a dent is that to Liverpool, and how huge of a goal is that for Manchester United? Liverpool attack late on, Szoboszlai, loves to attack in that CAM role, over it goes to Frimpong, on as a sub to Mo Salah, and the cross comes, AND HEADED WIDE BY GAKPO!! THAT WAS HIS MOMENT TO DRAG THE GAME LEVEL!! All efforts have been thwarted and there was nothing that Arne Slot could do. THE REFEREE BLOWS FOR THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE!! MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE WON BACK-TO-BACK GAMES UNDER RUBEN AMORIM FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON, AND LIVERPOOL HAVE NOW LOST 4 STRAIGHT GAMES IN A ROW!! This is Liverpool's first home loss since September 14, 2024 in the Premier League. WOW! What a classic this game has served!!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH:

Harry Maguire

Defensively solid, redeemed himself after that miss in January, by heading home the winner to stay 2 games unbeaten against Liverpool!