Redmen hold out as a better United side draw 1-1 at Old Trafford

What a difference a week makes. The Red Devils produced a far better performance last Thursday night, but it was all to no avail, as The Redmen struck just before the half-time whistle to make it 1-1. This was only the second European meeting between the two historic rivals, both played within the space of seven days, and it did not disappoint.

As expected, both teams made changes to the starting line-ups from the previous Thursday’s encounter at Anfield. For the Red Devils, Michael Carrick and Jesse Lingard came in for Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay. Carrick had only just returned from injury and Lingard had been suspended for the first leg at Anfield, and the changes were also meant to add experience and pace to the Manchester United midfield. Before the game, Louis van Gaal described the tie as a big challenge and said that belief had to start with the players but also with the fans, who had to believe as well.

For The Redmen, there was only one change: James Milner came in for Alberto Moreno, who had pulled up with hamstring pain during the Wednesday night training session at Old Trafford. Apart from this necessary change, the team stayed the same. Jürgen Klopp wanted to see the same dedication and effort from all his players as before. Ahead of kick-off he said that his side had come to play, that the first result could be ignored and was not important on the day, and that the aim was to win the game again. He added that the squad was looking forward to it, was excited, and was not a low-rhythm team. BT Sport’s Des Kelly then asked him whether scoring first would burst United’s bubble. Klopp replied that this was always what a team should try to do. It was common sense from start to finish.

Liverpool went into the game in a commanding position with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, but an Anthony Martial penalty in the first half brought Manchester United right back into the tie with a bang. With that goal, after the under-performance at Anfield, United could not be accused of failing to understand the importance of the fixture this time around. That is why another goal before the break seemed likely. They tried when Marcos Rojo went for a close-range effort that would have made it 2-2 on aggregate, but he fluffed his lines, and after that it no longer seemed to be their night.

Moments before the break, Philippe Coutinho produced a moment of brilliance, creating an individual goal out of nothing and giving his team an all-important away goal. David De Gea had already shown that it would take something special to beat him and, despite the difficult angle, Coutinho duly provided it with an audacious and beautifully weighted up-and-under finish. That moment meant United needed three more goals to progress.

The second half brought a few more attempts from both sides but no goals, and nothing changed. The score stayed level at one apiece until the end, so it was no surprise to see large numbers of home fans unable to grin and bear it. It was disappointing that so many of them chose to get up and leave early, and it might be some time before those early leavers shake this latest disappointment out of their system.

How the tie was decided

The first leg at Anfield on 10 March 2016 had ended 2-0 to Liverpool, with Daniel Sturridge scoring from the penalty spot after 20 minutes and Roberto Firmino adding the second in the 73rd minute. The 1-1 draw at Old Trafford a week later, with Anthony Martial’s penalty in the 32nd minute and Philippe Coutinho’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time, sent Liverpool into the quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate.

How the season ended for both clubs

Liverpool’s Europa League run continued well beyond Manchester. In the quarter-final they drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund in Germany and then won a dramatic second leg 4-3 at Anfield, with Dejan Lovren heading the winner in stoppage time. Villarreal were beaten 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final. The final in Basel on 18 May 2016 ended in disappointment, however: Sturridge gave Liverpool the lead, but Sevilla scored three times after the break, two of them from Coke, to win 3-1 and lift the trophy for the third year in a row.

Manchester United finished fifth in the Premier League and missed out on the Champions League. They did win the FA Cup, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra time on 21 May 2016, with Juan Mata equalising and Jesse Lingard scoring the winner. Two days later Louis van Gaal was sacked, and on 27 May 2016 the club confirmed José Mourinho as his successor.