“Liverpool, top of the league,” echoed around Old Trafford shortly after the final whistle. However, this was a defiant rendition rather than the booming celebration that the 3,000-strong travelling Kop had envisaged.



They had arrived desperate to see Jurgen Klopp’s side showcase the gulf in quality that currently exists between English football’s two most successful clubs and restore their eight-point cushion over Manchester City at the Premier League summit.



Yet they headed back down the East Lancs Road with an all too familiar sense of frustration. Once again Liverpool had under-performed in enemy territory.



There was relief after substitute Adam Lallana emerged from the shadows to salvage a share of the spoils late on, but this was also a glaring missed opportunity to pile the misery on their arch rivals. Klopp’s long wait to savour a first victory at Old Trafford goes on as a club record run of 17 successive top-flight wins...