Harry Maguire's late header ending 10-year winless at Anfield

A late goal from Harry Maguire helped Manchester United defeat Liverpool 2–1 in a match played at Anfield, ending nearly a 10-year winless streak for United at Liverpool's home ground.

Manchester United had last beaten Liverpool away in 2016, during the tenure of then-manager Louis van Gaal. That match ended 1–0, with the winning goal scored by Wayne Rooney.

Ruben Amorim’s long wait for consecutive Premier League victories came to a triumphant end at Anfield on Sunday as Manchester United claimed a famous 2–1 win against Liverpool.

Never let it be said that this iteration of United are predictable. The same team which limped out of the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town were deserving victors at the home of league champions Liverpool.

Bryan Mbeumo fired the visitors in front inside the opening two minutes. Cody Gakpo pulled Liverpool level in the second half after an onslaught of pressure but Harry Maguire’s header popped the balloon of their wobbling hosts.

United’s first victory at Anfield since 2016 took them up to the heady heights of ninth, while Liverpool were left to trail table-topping Arsenal by four points.

Amorim wondered aloud this week whether his players would be unshackled by their status as underdogs heading to Anfield.

“When you have to win and [have] the responsibility of winning, it is so much harder,” the Portuguese boss mused.

Safe in the knowledge that Liverpool, as reigning Premier League champions, were heavy favourites, United certainly began with a renewed sense of freedom.

Three seconds into the second minute of Sunday’s contest and United were already in front.

In that time, Mbeumo managed to out-jump Alexis Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk, spring back to his feet and sprint into the box to divert Amad Diallo’s cross beyond Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool steadied themselves thereafter, dominating possession and enjoying squalls of sustained sieges on United penalty area.

The hosts thrice hit the woodwork but so did the visitors, who continued to threaten after the opening 63 seconds.

Bruno Fernandes found himself on the end of a dazzling passage of play midway through the first half, strolling onto a ball at the top of the box only to send his effort crashing off the outside of the post.

United’s threat notably dwindled after the interval. Liverpool played with the feverish urgency of a team desperately trying to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat while Amorim’s side began to wobble.

Whether it was the pressure of holding onto the advantage they had worked so hard to carve out for themselves—or something more prosaic such as fatigue—the balance of play was unmistakably tilted towards Senne Lammens’s goal.

Eventually the pressure told. United’s lines of midfield and defence—so often oceans apart—had folded on top of each other in a desperate low block.

Two of Liverpool’s substitutes combined to find a way through the mass of white shirts, with Florian Wirtz shovelling the ball to Federico Chiesa who squared for Cody Gakpo to draw the hosts level in the 78th minute.

Just as Liverpool threatened to race away with a lead, United deflated Anfield before the crescendo could even begin.

Maguire rose at the back post from the second phase of a corner kick to thump the visitors back in front with just six minutes of normal time left to play.

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