I said, “It’s not over!”
Immediately after Benteke scored.
Don’t know why I said it, just a feeling, the words just popped out.
It was 0-0 at half-time,
Then in 60 , Mane broke down the right at high speed and zoomed into the penalty area and left back Moreno made a phenomenal challenge, clearing the ball cleanly. A fractional misjudgement would have been a penalty and a red card.
WOW!! THE TACKLE OF THE SEASON!
Emre Can will be an important player for Klopperpool.
He had the ball four times in the move before finding Clyne with a 40-yard crossfield.
Second phase, Milner measured his dipping cross towards the penalty spot and Benteke rammed a thunderous header into the top corner. He didn’t even have to jump, just stand on tiptoes, or hop two inches.
1-0 to Liverpool in 77.
Then Milner had a rush of blood and made a clumsy foul on left back Ryan Bertrand ten minutes later. Sub James Ward-Prowse hit a good inswinger towards the D, Forte headed on, sub Ramires headed back across the goalmouth, and Mane bundled in the equaliser at the far post.
So it was 1-1 in the 87th minute.
Mane had a red mist moment in injury time. His stamp on Moreno’s foot was a second yellow card and off he went.
This 1-1 draw left Southampton and Liverpool both on 14 points.
Anfield at least provided a better game than Old Trafford, where United and City both set up not to lose.
Van Gaal and Pellegrini ground out a 0-0 draw with few chances and very little quality.
Rooney huffed and puffed, working hard not to lose, while Otamendi played a tremendous game against him. If you buy a centreback from Valencia or Atletico Madrid you’ll be signing a serious defender who can mark, tackle, cover, win headers, read the game, go the distance.
Kompany came back in to partner Otamendi and that’s their best pairing.
But Bony was static, Sterling dismal, De Bruyne wasted on the right and hardly supported on the left after being switched.
Yaya Toure, given a free role to attack, didn’t deliver when it mattered.
The Manchester United pattern of play was too robotic and Martial’s pace was needed through the middle, not on the left wing.
Until Benteke powered in that spectacular header, we were looking at a Super 0-0 Sunday.
Most boring Manchester derby I’ve ever seen.
Please remind me not to watch the next one.