Liverpool have returned to the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United, earning the win through a couple of deflected strikes from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Swiss attacker was brought on 20 minutes from time and made a huge impact on the game, putting his side back in front 144 seconds after being introduced and sealing the Reds’ 14th league win of the season with a second late on.
United, previously unbeaten in their previous eight meetings with Liverpool in all competitions, managed just two shots on target all afternoon – one of those being Jesse Lingard’s close-range finish from an Alisson Becker howler to cancel out Sadio Mane’s opener.
Liverpool dominated the second half and were rewarded through substitute Shaqiri, who becomes the first Liverpool player to score multiple goals in a home Premier League game.
Liverpool’s attacking play was rewarded a quarter of the way through as Mane ended his eight-game scoring drought by getting in front of Ashley Young, chesting down Fabinho’s lofted pass and tucking the ball under David de Gea without the ball touching the ground.
Dejan Lovren was then guilty of missing a good opportunity from close range once Firmino worked the ball back into the centre-back’s path, and that would prove costly six minutes later when Lingard snatched an equaliser.
United had a Young goal correctly ruled out for offside against Romelu Lukaku early in the match, while Marcus Rashford got in a well-struck shot from range, but there was nothing to suggest that Liverpool’s goal was under threat.
The equaliser was gifted to them by Alisson, though, with the Brazilian failing to keep hold of Lukaku’s low cross, spilling the ball into the path of Lingard to score his first away league goal since New Year’s Day.
Virgil van Dijk was then denied by a block inside the box and both Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho saw weak attempts from further back easily dealt with by De Gea.
Mourinho’s men were dealing with everything that was being chucked at them as the game entered its final 20 minutes, at which point Jurgen Klopp gambled by bringing on Shaqiri for Naby Keita.
The substitution paid instant dividends as Shaqiri rifled the ball in off the underside of the crossbar minutes after being introduced, profiting from some good work from Mane out wide in the build-up.
De Gea flicked Mane’s cross as far as Shaqiri, who had enough time to pick his spot – with a helping hand from a touch off Young – despite United having six players inside the box.
A second Shaqiri goal followed before full time, sending his latest shot flying past De Gea, this time with a telling deflection off Eric Bailly.
Defeat for United leaves them sixth in the table and now 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
