Marcus Rashford's first-half brace was enough for Manchester United to beat arch rivals Liverpool 2-1 in the Saturday lunch-time kick-off at Old Trafford, widening the gap between the two sides in 2nd and 3rd place respectively to five points in the Premier League table.
It was only the second time José Mourinho managed to beat Jürgen Klopp in nine attempts, the Red Devils having only lost once at home this season against bitter rivals City, winning 16 and drawing two. The last time they lost against the Reds at Old Trafford was 0-3 in March 2014.
The first real chance, out of nowhere, just under quarter of an hour gone, Rashford headed down and collected Romelu Lukaku's header won against Dejan Lovren off a goal-kick, ran into the box on the left, pulled the ball back to make more space away from Trent Alexander-Arnold and placed the right-footed shot perfectly across into the right corner of the net to give the home side the lead, no chance for fully stretched Loris Karius.
And the number 19 doubled the lead ten minutes later, the ball falling back to him inside the box off Virgil van Dijk, with all the space in the world, the local lad made no mistake of slashing the ball from the left across past Alexander-Arnold and in to make it 2-0. Again Lovren could not cope with Lukaku in the build-up, Liverpool were all over the place, United on top.
On the other side of the pitch, David de Gea didn't get much to do in the opening half an hour, Sadio Mané and van Dijk putting chances wide, whilst skipper James Milner, in for Jordan Henderson, and Roberto Firmino served the Spanish keeper easy catches.
There was no real threat or sign from the Premier League Player of the Month of February Mohamed Salah either, isolated and kept very quiet by the home side. The Egyptian is the league joint-top goal scorer this season alongside Harry Kane with 24 goals - having scored in every single one of the Reds' league matches last month.
It wasn't the usual LFC trademark of pressing pressing pressing, more watching watching watching and giving the ball away by the Reds. Nicht gut.
And it could have been worse, seven minutes before the break, Juan Mata missed a sitter, all alone in the middle of the box, a couple of yards out, tried a flashy overhead kick, putting the golden chance wide.
Lovren put a Milner corner sky high in the final minutes before the interval after a period of pressure by the Reds on the hosts' box, but again nothing to worry the Red Devils too much and it stayed 2-0 at the break.
United have not lost a home game in the league that they have been leading at the break since May 7th 1984 (1-2 vs Ipswich Town).
Van Dijk put another header off a corner high shortly after the break before Salah failed to control the ball in the box with Ashley Young all over him, no reaction from the officials.
United captain Antonio Valencia got away with bouncing Andy Robertson's cross off his left hand, blocking any Liverpool threat, the visitors pushing and pressing a bit more after the restart, but still not threatening de Gea.
Seconds after Adam Lallana replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the sub tried to push and break into the box but failed just like his team mates, Milner firing high from distance afterwards.
The ball finally went in for the Reds thanks to Eric Bailly putting Mané's cross from the left into the back of his own net, de Gea could only punch it in to make it 2-1 with just under 25 minutes to go. Game on.
That was only the second goal United have conceded in the second half in 15 PL matches at Old Trafford this season, the other one scored by Man City's Nicolás Otamendi.
Lovren and Fellaini clashed a couple of times as United threatened on the left, the ref ignored it all, but had a word with Klopp who was fuming, before bringing on Georgino Wijnaldum for a struggling Alexander-Arnold for the last ten minutes.
Firmino back-footed the ball in the box instead of taking the chance himself, Mané and Fellaini tumbling and falling all over each other in the box, neither getting the ball nor a call from the ref.
Klopp brought on Dominic Solanke for the final minutes, in place of Robertson in a last desperate offensive change, just when United were having a rare period of play in and around the Liverpool box, winning their first corner.
Valencia was booked for felling down Mané shortly after Mourinho had brought on Jesse Lingard in place of Mata, but United cleared any threat once again, waste for Liverpool.
Six minutes were added on, the visitors desperate to get something out of the match, the home side surrounding them and keeping the wall/bus solid at the back, in and around the box.
Mané won a late corner unable to release a shot surrounded by Red Devils, who broke on the counter after the set piece, Karius having to come out to clear the threat.
It was just not meant to be. A late change for the home side killed the last seconds, Alexis Sánchez replaced by Matteo Darmian. It stayed 2-1, United frustrating and topping their rivals in the game and in the table.
Liverpool have only won one in seven games immediately following a CL match, unable to capitalise on Paul Pogba's pre-match injury, which brought Mata into midfield, Bailly and Rashford also starting, making up the three changes for the home side.
Manchester United have won 50% (10/20) of league games without the Frenchman starting since the beginning of last season, 60% (28/47) when he did start.
Liverpool made one change after their Champions League draw against Porto, Milner in for Henderson with the captain's armband, as mentioned above.
No team in the top five European leagues have scored more goals away from home this season than LFC = 35.
There has never been four successive draws in the 170 league meetings. Klopp felt his side had deserved something out of the match, crucial refereeing decisions going against his side.
But the German cannot deny his side were just that one step behind, that final touch missing, because the Red Devils stayed on top and in control, despite the lack of possession.
Frustrating indeed, and rare to see the front trio not clicking and scoring. They will face Watford at Anfield next Saturday evening to pick themselves up and get back into the groove again.
HT Stats: MUN 2-0 LIV
Possession: 36%-64%
Shots: 3-5
On target: 2-2
Corners: 0-5
Fouls: 6-5
Yellow cards: 1-1
FT Stats: MUN 2-1 LIV
Possession: 32%-68%
Shots: 5-14
On target: 2-2
Corners: 1-13
Fouls: 10-16
Yellow cards: 2-1
Man United Goals: Rashford 14' & 24'.
Liverpool Goal: Bailly OG 66'.
Man United Team: 1 De Gea; 18 Young, 3 Baily, 12 Smalling, 25 Valencia (c) (booked 89'); 31 Matic, 39 McTominay; 19 Rashford (booked 27') (27 Fellaini 70'), 7 Sánchez (32 Darmain 97'), 8 Mata (14 Lingard 88'); 9 Lukaku. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 2 Lindelöf, 16 Carrick, 20 Romero, 23 Shaw.
Liverpool Team: 1 Karius; 26 Robertson (29 Solanke 84'), 4 van Dijk, 6 Lovren, 66 Alexander-Arnold (5 Wijnaldum 80'); 23 Can, 7 Milner (c), 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain (booked 35') (20 Lallana 62'); 19 Mané, 9 Firmino, 11 Salah. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 12 Gomez, 14 Henderson, 22 Mignolet, 32 Matip.
Referee: Craig Pawson
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku
Ground: Old Trafford
Attendance: 74,855
Click here for my last LFC match report.
All pictures, facts and stats were taken from BBC match report, Sky Sports app, Twitter and SFR coverage.
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