Salah saves a point for title-chasing Liverpool at Manchester United | first division

Liverpool are the first to fail in the three-way title fight with Arsenal and Manchester City, and Manchester United will be happy to provoke them.

When Jürgen Klopp looks at the first division In the table, he now sees his team second, tied on points with Arsenal but behind on goal difference, and one ahead of City, since all three have seven games remaining. Based on the spirit shown in the second half, United deserved a draw, but Klopp and his men can regret having allowed Erik ten Hag's erratic team to take away two valuable points.

The Dutchman has lost seven points in nine days from winning positions, after the 1-1 draw at Brentford and Thursday's 4-3 loss to Chelseaand are in sixth place, 11 points behind Tottenham and Aston Villa in fourth and fifth, and one ahead of West Ham in the race for European football.

Starting in the 67th minute, this fascinating contest took off. First, Kobbie Mainoo gave United an improbable lead with a goal that will live in the history of this rivalry forever.

Picking up the ball to the right of the Liverpool area, the youngster's pirouette deceived two visiting players before, without vision, he went into the goal, the sweetest of blows that left no chance for Caoimhín Kelleher, who He waved, and the ball kissed the left side of his goal.

Then, as Liverpool's title hopes faded, Aaron Wan-Bissaka challenged Harvey Elliott and the referee, Anthony Taylor, awarded the penalty. Mohamed Salah, wasteful all afternoon, beat André Onana to the right of the United goalkeeper and Liverpool equalized.

Before this, the first half was a virtual training exercise for Klopp's team, which went into half-time with 15 shots to United's none and a 1-0 lead. Torrential rain ensured a slippery surface and enhanced the entertainment which included the bombing of Onana's goal in front of the Stretford End. The Cameroonian's reflex save after Dominik Szoboszlai's serve was followed by him appearing near the halfway point to launch a diagonal.

On the touchline, Klopp, who would later become almost angry, was in traffic light mode, unhappy at loose pressing or misplaced passes, while beside him, Ten Hag could observe the footwork of Marcus's Fred Astaire Rashford foreshadowing a curved ball that allowed Rasmus Højlund to gallop forward.

United were quicker than the heavy pace that has plagued them all season. Liverpool absorbed the pressure and looked to surgically open up their enemy, such as when Andy Robertson jumped down the left and crossed towards Szoboszlai, who missed and lost his balance.

When Luis Díaz scored in the 23rd minute, it was shot number nine for Liverpool: as is usual for Ten Hag's team, Robertson's corner from the right was amateurish: Rashford was in no man's land in the near the post, Mainoo and Casemiro ended up crowding each other, and Darwin Núñez, unopposed, shot and the Colombian crashed into a palm from Onana.

Groundhog Day again for United to the delight of the traveling fans. The response was a free kick from Bruno Fernandes that floated towards Casemiro's head: the Brazilian crossed the ball over Kelleher's goal, but neither Willy Kambwala nor Højlund could connect.

Kambwala partnered Harry Maguire for the first time in his nascent career, in United's 26th central defensive partnership of the campaign. But the team was like a sieve because of how wandering they were from front to back. When Núñez sent a shot up, it came from the second corner derived from a counter in which United had no one patrolling his right.

A mistake by Salah took Liverpool's shot total to 11, and Ten Hag shook his head after Diaz scored the 12th, but it was partly the Dutchman's fault, at least, or why hire a coach? The period ended with a header from Klopp as another chance was wasted, this time from Conor Bradley, and Liverpool would pay. As the players moved away, United needed an extra body in midfield.

However, Ten Hag kept faith with the same lineup and was soon rewarded. United's equalizer was a disaster for Jarell Quansah and an ecstasy for Bruno Fernandes. Near halfway, 21-year-old Quansah turned and passed the stalking United captain, whose snap shot from inside the center circle had enough drop to avoid the diving Kelleher, stranded midway in Liverpool territory. , and slide inside his left post. “There is no fault,” Klopp said of his defender.

Comically, considering how low they had been, United became rampant during a phase that culminated in Casemiro being a layer of bitumen to stab Rashford's ball. This impressive encounter was stopped when Antony, who had been replaced by Rashford, replaced him, while Jones and Joe Gomez came on for Szoboszlai and Bradley.

This worked for United because they moved downfield, Alejandro Garnacho passed to Wan-Bissaka who fed Mainoo and what happened was memorable. “I thought the goalie wouldn't think he would shoot,” Mainoo explained. “He felt good.”

Observer Sir Jim Ratcliffe had to be impressed, with Mainoo and how Ten Hag brought his charges together. Less admirable was Salah's shot, but then came the Egyptian's penalty before a finale that made the stadium fill with strident voices.

In added time Díaz missed and Antony unloaded at the other end, with Kelleher rallying.