Analysis: Liverpool

Jürgen Klopp again organised Liverpool into his favoured 4-3-3 formation. They had the greater share of possession, and used much of it attempting to overcome Manchester United’s compact block.

The Reds responded to United’s wing-backs pressing full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson by withdrawing them into deeper territory so that those wing-backs would have to advance, and their wide attackers could therefore attack United’s outside central defenders one-on-one. They also attempted to create an overload in midfield, and to draw Daniel James and Marcus Rashford into narrower territory, through Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino surrounding central midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay.

In the second half, and a goal down, the visitors adopted a 4-2-3-1 shape that featured Henderson playing in an attacking position on the right of the line of three behind Divock Origi, with Sadio Mané moving from the right to his preferred position wide on the left. By playing both higher and wider, they occupied United’s wing-backs and created space for Alexander-Arnold and Robertson; they also had an increased presence in central areas, where Firmino sat behind Origi to give an extra attacking option. This eventually shifted into an attacking 4-4-2 shape, with Mané joining Firmino in a front two and substitutes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana operating wide.

Liverpool’s full-backs responded to that increased time and space by delivering more crosses which, complemented by the movement of attackers who sought to run across the front of United’s defenders in the pursuit of early contact, ultimately led to the equalising goal for Lallana.

United’s 3-4-1-2 became a 5-2-3 when they were defending, as Andreas Pereira advanced to join Marcus Rashford and Daniel James on the top line. The latter two operated between Liverpool’s central defenders and full-backs, so that they were in wide positions for transitional moments. Fred and Scott McTominay played as a defensive screen, and attempted to prevent passes into Firmino’s feet while tracking the runs in behind made by Henderson and Wijnaldum.

In the second half that 5-2-3 became a 5-3-2, in response to Liverpool adopting their 4-2-3-1, and in an attempt to provide greater coverage across the pitch and of the visitors’ dangerous full-backs. Liverpool pursued switches of play to stretch and eventually overcome United’s three-strong midfield.

It was for the final 10 minutes that the hosts switched into a 5-4-1 that sacrificed their counter-attacking threat and left their lone striker outnumbered in the final third – and also encouraged Liverpool to have even more possession and to continue to attack. That latest switch appeared to confuse United’s full-backs and wide midfielders, who became uncertain when Robertson and Alexander-Arnold required pressing. It was a failure to properly press Robertson that cost United all three points and helped Liverpool maintain English league football’s only unbeaten record.