Jurgen Klopp praised his Liverpool players after their 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon despite his side conceding a late equaliser from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a frantic game at Old Trafford.

The German manager said his side put together a "positive performance" in the face of long-ball tactics from the home side.

"It was a very positive performance, we played the better football, but what can I say?" Klopp said after the game.

"The boys did really well. The performance was good, you can see it is still intense for us at the moment, but we're still playing good football.

"It's nicer when you have this work-rate and you have all three points."

Liverpool took the lead in the first-half through a James Milner penalty following Paul Pogba's handball but United began to get back into the game in the second-half.

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

Marouane Fellaini came on as a substitute in the 76th minute and helped to set up Ibrahimovic's equaliser a few minutes later as United played a more direct version of the game.

"It was on the edge, it was quite hectic," Klopp said. "We could have been more clinical, but in the last 20 minutes United were doing only long balls, it was difficult."

Klopp also singled out 18-year-old right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold after his first Premier League start.