Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo struck late to seal a dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory over rivals Liverpool on Sunday as the home side secured their return to the Champions League next season after a two-year absence.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo had hauled Liverpool level in the second half after costly United errors, but Mainoo had the final say with a strike from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 77th minute to send Old Trafford into raptures.
The win moved third-placed United onto 64 points with three
games remaining.
“It was a huge goal for us to get Champions League, but the
season isn’t over yet, we’re not letting our foot off the gas,”
Mainoo said. “Never an easy game against Liverpool, glad to come
out with a win.”
Fourth-placed Liverpool still have work to do to clinch a
place among Europe’s elite next season and are level on 58
points with fifth-placed Aston Villa, who host Tottenham Hotspur
later on Sunday.
United got off to a great start, with Matheus Cunha scoring
in the sixth minute and Benjamin Sesko doubling their lead eight
minutes later.
Cunha’s goal came after a clearance fell at his feet, and
the Brazilian scored with a hard shot that glanced off Alexis
Mac Allister.
Sesko scored after Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper Freddie
Woodman pushed Bruno Fernandes’ header off Sesko’s body. The
goal was awarded after VAR determined there was no conclusive
evidence of a handball by Sesko, with the ball appearing to
brush his fingers on the way into the net.
While Fernandes, who is one assist away from equalling the
Premier League season record, was heavily involved in the goal,
he was denied the assist as his header was parried by Woodman.
The two goals inside 14 minutes marked the earliest
Liverpool had gone 2-0 down in a Premier League game since
February 2023 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Szoboszlai pulled one back in the 47th minute after Amad
Diallo gave the ball away on the halfway line. Szoboszlai ran
unchallenged, sprinting past Harry Maguire before slotting the
ball home through defender Diogo Dalot’s legs.
Gakpo levelled nine minutes later when Senne Lammens passed
the ball straight to Mac Allister, and Gakpo slotted into the
open net, setting up a nervy ending punctuated by Mainoo’s
heroics.
Mainoo’s winner came three days after the 21-year-old United
academy graduate signed a new five-year deal with the club after
being marginalised earlier in the season under former manager
Ruben Amorim.
The midfielder has started 13 of 14 league matches since
interim boss Michael Carrick took charge, missing one game due
to injury.
“I’ve not been around the goals too much but I’m happy to be
around it on such a massive occasion,” Mainoo said.
United had almost gone 3-0 up late in the first half when
Fernandes latched onto a ball from Mbeumo, but the Portuguese
fired his finish just wide.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot acknowledged he is annoyed his team
has yet to secure Champions League qualification.
“I wouldn’t say concern is the right word, but I’m
completely aware of the fact that we need three points,” he
said. “That’s why I was so annoyed that we didn’t pick them up
today, although we didn’t deserve to get these points … If you
are coming back after 2-0 down, you should at least go away from
here with a result, which we didn’t do.
“We knew before the game we had four chances to pick up
three points to qualify for Champions League, and now there are
three chances left.”
Source: Khaleej Times