Manchester United secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League in style, after a dramatic 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Results elsewhere across the weekend meant the Reds needed just a point to ensure our return to Europe’s premier continental competition for next term, but after a lightning quick start - in which Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko scored in the opening 15 minutes - United looked poised to get all three points judging by the opening stages.
However, Liverpool’s response after the break was similarly emphatic, with efforts in quick succession from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo bringing the scores back level and generating an increased sense of tension in the air for a prolonged period of the second half thereafter.
There was still another twist in store though, as Kobbie Mainoo decided the contest with a wonderful first-time finish in front of the Stretford End in the final quarter-of-an-hour - capping a fantastic individual week, having also signed a new contract - to see the Reds beat Liverpool home and away for the first time in a Premier League season in a decade.
FIRST HALF - UNITED TAKE CONTROL
Michael Carrick made one change to his starting XI, with Cunha returning to the side - having missed the win over Brentford through injury - in place of Amad, who was named among the substitutes.
The Reds began the contest with the same ferocity that could be felt inside Old Trafford at kick-off, and the positive start paid off almost straightaway.
Cunha made his return known after just six minutes, giving United the lead with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box that brushed off Alexis Mac Allister on its way into the bottom right corner - sending the majority inside M16 wild.
Cody Gakpo immediately went up the other end and headed wide from a decent opening, as Jeremie Frimpong crossed, although replays showed the Dutchman would have been offside regardless.
But United continued to carry an air of dominance and our lead was doubled before the quarter-of-an-hour mark.
Luke Shaw’s cross to the far post was expertly nodded back across goal by Bruno Fernandes, and goalkeeper Freddie Woodman could only parry his header into the midriff of Benjamin Sesko, which was enough to take it over the line - a second goal celebrated rapturously yet again, after it was given the seal of approval by the VAR, which generated an exhaustive check attempting to pick out if a touch of the Slovenian's hand was involved.
The visitors had several efforts from distance as Gakpo curled one just wide of the right-hand post with Senne Lammens on alert, and an effort from Florian Wirtz followed a similar trajectory without causing the same level of trouble to the Reds’ keeper.
United looked likelier to add the next goal, though, and perhaps should have on 25 minutes with Fernandes a whisker away from doing so. Diogo Dalot surged through the middle and teed up Bryan Mbeumo to cross, with his centre smashed just wide on the half-volley by the skipper.
Ryan Gravenberch fired one straight at Lammens, again from range, while Casemiro drew a save from Woodman from an offside position in the closing moments of the half, as we entered the interval in control.
SECOND HALF - KING KOBBIE
United looked to have started where we left off, as Mbeumo latched on to a mistimed header from Virgil van Dijk to earn a corner, from which he found Harry Maguire to head wide, but it was Liverpool who were quickly rejuvenated with an equaliser inside 47 minutes.
A misplaced pass from half-time substitute Amad was intercepted in the centre circle by Szoboszlai, who surged through midfield and into the box, where his low left-footed strike found the bottom right corner.
Liverpool were buoyant again from there, but United could have extended our lead quickly afterwards when Fernandes controlled sensationally as the ball came down from a height in the box and teed up Mbeumo, whose clever flick hit the bottom left-hand post. An offside flag was raised although it looked like it may have been tight.
But Liverpool continued to foray forward, and after Wirtz had curled just wide with a first-time strike from distance, the visitors profited from a loose pass out from Lammens’s resulting goal-kick to equalise.
Mac Allister intercepted the pass intended for Casemiro and found Szoboszlai, who, in turn, diverted it to Gakpo to tap home - a succession of three first-time touches enough to punish the Reds and bring the game back to level terms.
Liverpool continued to apply pressure from there, with Lammens making a crucial save with his feet from Ibrahima Konate midway through the half, but United kept creating chances too - the familiar combination of Fernandes to Casemiro almost reaping dividends yet again from a free-kick, but the Brazilian headed straight at Woodman, when left unmarked.
It was a moment of brilliance from Mainoo that proved decisive, though, as the midfielder - fresh from penning new terms with the club during the week - netted his first goal of the season in superb fashion. Cunha released Shaw and his cross was nodded back by Amad. A clearance from Mac Allister fell short to the edge of the box, Mainoo beat Szoboszlai to the ball and guided a wonderful low effort into the bottom right corner, sending the Stretford End into overdrive once again.
The game also marked the return of Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu after a three-month absence, who provided a threat down the left in his late cameo - including with a drive wide of the far post in the closing stages.
Liverpool came closest to a response with substitute Rio Nguhoma’s effort flashing wide and a Gakpo drive that was straight down Lammens’s throat, while United could have added a fourth in stoppage-time, as Joshua Zirkzee came off the bench and kickstarted an attack that saw Amad find Dalot overlapping into the box, but the defender shot over.
United had ultimately already done enough for a memorable victory over our fierce rivals, earning a double over Liverpool for the first time since 2016 and guaranteeing our return to the Champions League for next term.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo (Dorgu 75), Fernandes (c) (Yoro 90+6), Cunha (Zirkzee 87); Sesko (Amad 46).
Subs not used: Bayindir, Malacia, Mazraoui, Mount, Ugarte.
Goals: Cunha 6, Sesko 14, Mainoo 77.
Booked: Shaw 49, Fernandes 81.
Liverpool: Woodman; Jones, van Dijk (c), Konate (Chiesa 87), Robertson (Kerkez 59); Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong (Ngumoha 75), Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo.
Subs not used: Pecsi, Gomez, Ndiaye, Nyoni, Morrison, Wright.
Goals: Szoboszlai 47, Gakpo 56.
Booked: Jones 75, Gakpo 85.