Manchester United bounced back from two opening Premier League defeats with an excellent 2-1 win against rivals Liverpool.
Erik ten Hag received a huge reaction from his side after making four changes to the XI that started the defeat to Brentford last weekend.
Goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford in each half were enough to seal the win despite Mohamed Salah's late header for the visitors.
The Reds were on the front foot from the off, making our presence known at the back with Lisandro Martinez in the thick of it.
United showed a statement of intent early on, as Rashford was played in behind the Liverpool backline and almost got a shot away but for Virgil van Dijk intervening.
Anthony Elanga came close to opening the scoring inside 10 minutes. A delightful through ball from Scott McTominay found Bruno Fernandes, who stretched to play in Elanga but the post denied him a goal.
The fans inside Old Trafford would only have to wait a further five minutes to see us go ahead, though. Slick and fluid football from ten Hag’s side saw Elanga play the ball across the Liverpool area to find Sancho. Despite being faced with multiple defenders, Sancho showed great composure to deceive James Milner and finish beyond Alisson to fire the Reds ahead.
Luis Diaz came close to levelling up the scoreline, but his effort strayed wide of David De Gea’s goal following some good defensive pressure on the Colombian.
Moments later, Christian Eriksen almost doubled United’s lead directly from a free-kick. Alisson, at full stretch, managed to tip it over for a home corner which, ultimately, amounted to nothing.
Despite relentless attacking from the opposition, United’s backline - especially Raphael Varane and Martinez - combined well to keep them at bay. Martinez cleared Fernandes’s deflection off the line just moments before the half-time whistle.
Chasing the game, it was Liverpool who came out with a point to prove in the second half. But, once again, United’s backline prevailed.
We quickly turned the tide in the second 45 minutes, applying more pressure on our opponents before it eventually paid off. The ball fell to half-time substitute Anthony Martial, who put Rashford through. The England international kept his calm going one-v-one against Alisson to bury the ball into the back of the net.
Liverpool pulled a goal back late on, as De Gea parried sub Fabio Carvalho’s effort into the path of Mo Salah who squeezed in a header to set the game up for a nervy finish. However, United expertly saw out five minutes of stoppage time and arguably looked likelier to add to the scoring as the final whistle was greeted with huge celebrations inside the ground.
MATCH DETAILS
United: De Gea; Dalot (Wan-Bissaka 85), Varane, Martinez, Malacia; Eriksen (Van de Beek 85), McTominay; Sancho (Fred 70), Fernandes, Elanga (Martial 45); Rashford (Ronaldo 85).
Subs not used: Heaton, Maguire, Shaw, Garnacho.
Goals: Sancho 15, Rashford 53.
Bookings: Varane, Dalot, Fernandes.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dyke, Robertson (Tsmikas 85); Elliot, Henderson (Fabinho 58), Milner (Carvalho 73); Diaz, Firmino, Salah.
Subs not used: Adrian, Davies, Clark, Bajcetic, Phillips, Van den Berg.
Goals: Salah 81.
Bookings: Alexander-Arnold.