By the end, Jurgen Klopp was squaring up to Jose Mourinho in the technical area, incandescent to see the Portuguese suggesting that one of his forwards should be disciplined when that player had just been hauled back by his shirt. Mourinho extended a hand and, refusing to accept it, Klopp marched away. He jumped up and down in unmitigated fury.

Such is the inhospitability that Mourinho has restored to the place - and to the fixture best remembered in the difficult last four years here for David Moyes suggesting his side were not even favourites. Once more, United don’t know they’re beaten. The noise which rolled through the stadium when Zlatan Ibrahimovic had ducked down dexterously into a headed 84th minute equaliser was as monumental as anything we’ve heard since the days when they always expected to win.

After the dust has settled on a game which ignited at times and found moments of quality Liverpool may settle for what they took, despite Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum missing excellent second half chances. Those wise heads at Old Trafford – the ones who understand what serial success looks like - will simply hope that Paul Pogba stops believing his own publicity.

He had become the first Premier League player to possess his own emoji, complete with yellow flecks. The first half advertising hoardings promoted #pogba. And yet the recipient of all this attention contributed substantially to his side’s struggle. He missed a gilt-edged chance, struggled to find his way and then conceded a very poor penalty. Leaping with Dejan Lovren for James Milner’s descending corner, arms outstretched just beyond the half hour, Pogba neglected to watch the flight of the ball which dropped onto his left hand. A certain penalty, which the consummate professional Milner despatched to David de Gea’s right.

Pogba would have been the story had not Ibrahimovic – already an Old Trafford folk hero – scored his 19th goal in 33 appearances, though United’s long labours to make amends also owed much to Simon Mignolet. The Belgian goalkeeper has had his critics but his two first half saves - clawing away a low, precise Zlatan Ibrahimovich free kick for which he was unsighted and racing out to parry when Hentikh Mkitharyan was sent racing through – reflected the good season he has quietly and impressively put together.

Milner converted the penalty after Pogba's handball (Getty)

The troubling aspect of United’s opportunities from a Liverpool perspective was how regularly the through ball found its way beyond their back door. Pogba was offered a similar gift, sent through with slide rule quality by Mkitharyan. Old Trafford held a collective breath as the Frenchman poked the ball to several inches wide of Mignolet’s right post.

Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino provided an attacking intensity of a kind United had not experienced on their nine-game run winning run, though it was a day for physicality, when Adam Lallana could not maintain the level he has set. It speaks for the sea change in United’s defence that they held off a Liverpool of such intent. Even the 18-year-old full debutante Trent Alexander-Arnold looked level to the moment. Though robbed of possession by Anthony Martial late on in a dangerous place, the teenager took down a 30-yard cross field as with his left foot and immediately shot with his right, before the half hour.

Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings David de Gea: 6 The Spaniard had little to do, and thus there is little praise to offer him. He couldn't do much to stop Bailly's own goal, which cruelly slipped inside his near post. Getty Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Antonio Valencia: 7 Found Mane a difficult opposite number as Liverpool looked to exploit the left flank after Ashley Young proved to be an immovable object. Kept to his task well, though. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Chris Smalling: 6 Lost van Dijk twice from corners and on another day he could well have been punished. But he got away with it, and helped United see the game through. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Eric Bailly: 7 An unfortunate own goal marred an otherwise solid display. United look far more assured with him in the side Getty Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Ashley Young: 9 He used all of his winger pedigree to stifle one of the best players in the division. Salah did not get a sniff. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Nemanja Matic 8 Another solid dsplay marshalling United's rearguard action.Ran proceedings from the heart of midfield. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Scott McTominay 7 A quiet but effective performance from the Scot alongside Matic. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Juan Mata: 6 Could have written his name into United folklore with an overhead kick in the first half, but it wsan't to be. Solid defensively and creative going forward. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Alexis Sanchez: 6 Another anonymous display. Effective pressing and important in link play, but yet to make his mark for United. The wait for the breakthrough moment goes on. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Marcus Rashford: 9 An outstanding display for the academy product. Two crucial goals on his first start since boxing day. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Romelu Lukaku: 8 Isolated in the second half as United sat deep, but his hold-up play was crucial to United's first half double. Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Lorius Karius: 6 Little he could about both goals which were expertly taken. Relatively untroubled thereafter. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5 A tough afternoon for the youngster, who met his match in Marcus Rashford. Man Utd via Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Dejan Lovren: 5 Completely dominated by Lukaku, especially in the first period. Grew into the game, but questions will remain about who should partner van Dijk. REUTERS Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Virgil van Dijk: 5 Missed two big chances from corners, but defensively found himself unstuck as Liverpool struggled to deal Lukaku and Rashford. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Andy Robertson: 7 The Scottish full back put in a solid display and was effective going forward. Liverpool's best defensive performer. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Emre Can: 6 Struggled against McTominay and Matic in an otherwise unremarkable display. Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings James Milner: 6 Creativity is not normally an issue for Liverpool but they lacked it in midfield. United's defensive performance played a part, but for Milner, it was a game to forget. Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 5 : A frustrating afternoon for Oxlande Chamberlain. Booked early on for a foul on McTominay, and never really got going. He was unsurprisingly subbed just after the hour mark. AFP/Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Sadio Mane: 7 A threat with his direct running and caused Valencia a number of problems. His cross led to Liverpool's goal, a meritable return on a frustrating afternoon. Liverpool FC via Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Mohamed Salah: 5 He won't have found Ashley Young's pocked a comfortable place to reside. A frustrating afternoon for the Egyptian, who revealed himself to be human after all. Getty Images Manchester United vs Liverpool player ratings Roberto Firmino: 6 The Brazilian offered a link between midfield and attack but didn't have any opportunities of note. A stifled afternoon for the former Hoffenheim man. Getty Images

Neither manager looked entirely happy at the interval. Mourinho’s players had been profligate and Klopp’s the most prone to the attacking thrusts. United adopted a longer game in a second half, for which Wayne Rooney was introduced, though his search for his record 250th Manchester United goal must wait for another day.

Klopp waited barely any longer to deploy Philippe Coutinho, who needed seconds to deliver a cushioned reverse pass which Firmino struck at the keeper when he should have done better. The game should have been beyond doubt on 75 minutes when a fast counter attack saw Firmino away down the right, crossing for Wijnaldum, whose unchallenged headed chance came at a comfortable height. He sent it over.

Ibrahimovic's brilliant header squeezed over the line (Getty)

Rooney played a big part in the equaliser, delivering a sumptuous cross which had been recycled back in by Antonio Valencia when Ibrahimovic manoeuvred his head under it. By the end, United were powering on for a winner. It was Herrera’s grab at Firmino’s jersey to prevent a counter thrust which provoked Klopp’s fury, after the Brazilian shoved at the midfielder in retaliation.

When Klopp arrived to discuss all this he found the low press conference chair difficult to negotiate. “I’m definitely too heavy for the Man United chair,” he said, uncomfortable to the very end.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Rojo, Jones, Darmian (Fellaini 76); Herrera, Carrick (Rooney 46); Mkhitaruan, Pogba, Martial (Mata 65); Ibrahimovic. Substitutes: Smalling, Blind, Rashford, Romero

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Klavan, Lovren, Milner; Can, Henderson; Wijnaldum; Lallana, Origi (Coutinho 60); Firmino. Subsitutes: Karius, Gomez, Sturridge, Moreno, Stewart, Ejaria

Referee: M. Oliver

Star man: Lovren