Liverpool v Manchester United LIVE: Result and final score after Harry Maguire misses sitter

If the measure of a Manchester United players is how he performs against their fiercest rivals, then Amad Diallo has begun in auspicious style. His United career is not yet 50 games old and yet he has displayed a capacity to have the final say against Manchester City and Liverpool alike. Last month brought a game-changing late intervention in a Manchester derby; last March an extra-time winner against Liverpool. Here, with United trailing at Anfield and set for a fifth successive defeat, up popped Amad again. United instead became only the fifth team to deny the league leaders victory in Arne Slot’s reign.

For a team who have rarely arrived at Anfield as such underdogs, it was a triumph of sorts, though it could have been an actual win had Harry Maguire not blazed over in the 97th minute. “A big chance,” Slot admitted. He nevertheless deemed it “two points dropped”.

For Liverpool, perhaps it only represented a minor hiccup on route to the 20th league title that would draw them level with United. Historic foes were tied here, even as a 2-2 means Liverpool’s points tally remains more than double United’s. There was nothing to separate them, and yet they have nothing in common.

The medium-term focus at Liverpool has been split now for some time, given that off the pitch, there’s the lingering prospect of arguably the club’s three biggest talents leaving on free transfers in summer.

Ahead of the visit of Machester United, the biggest focus from that trio was inevitably on Trent Alexander-Arnold, given Real Madrid’s not-so-subtle interest in his signature.

Yet ask most supporters around Anfield and it’s the other two they might be most anxious to sort out: Virgil van Dijk is captain, but also the best centre-back in the Premier League, perhaps on the planet. Arguably the best performer on the sodden park on Sunday evening, he served a reminder of why it will be so important to keep him around.

Roy Keane criticised Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-half performance at Anfield on Sunday at the end of a week in which the Liverpool full-back has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, joking he might be better suited to Tranmere Rovers.

Liverpool insist the 26-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, is not for sale and when the Champions League holders made an enquiry a few days ago, it was immediately rebuffed with the message they had no intention of discussing it further.

But the speculation intensified amid reports of a second bid from Madrid, adding an unwanted sub-plot to Liverpool’s clash with rivals Manchester United this weekend.

Manchester United have triggered their option to extend Harry Maguire’s contract to keep their former captain at Old Trafford until 2026.

Head coach Ruben Amorim, who said Amad Diallo is also close to agreeing an extended deal, said he was happy to tie Maguire down for another year but called on the centre back to be more of a leader.

Maguire joined United for £80m in 2019, a world-record fee for a defender, but was stripped of the captaincy by former manager Erik ten Hag in 2023. But he worked his way back into the team last season, and with Amorim preferring to play a back three, he has started each of their last three games.

Liverpool have put a £30m price tag on Ben Doak after rejecting offers for the Scotland winger.

Doak has attracted interest from both Premier League and European clubs, with Crystal Palace reportedly making a £15m bid.

Liverpool have turned down offers out of hand and believe the 19-year-old can play for them in the future.

It is yet another of those moments where Ruben Amorim is trying to create a new future, only for history – and a more problematic present – to impose on events.

The Manchester United manager won’t use Marcus Rashford for a seventh successive game, after the England forward was ruled out for Sunday due to illness. There was considerable doubt over whether Amorim would have played him anyway but the prospect did weigh over Liverpool’s preparation, since Rashford is one player even Arne Slot’s most experienced defenders had a certain trepidation about. The 27-year-old has scored more times against Liverpool than any other club, with seven goals, and many of those have been big moments for different managers.

One was the crucial clincher in a 2-1 win that was also Erik ten Hag’s first victory as United manager.

Jurgen Klopp dropped his bombshell, he later revealed, in November 2023. In January 2024, he went public. Liverpool’s search for a manager could begin; not publicly, given their preference for doing their business as quietly as possible, but at least with one layer of secrecy removed.

They were soon informed that Xabi Alonso was minded to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another year. To many in the wider world, Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim assumed a status as the frontrunner after that. Not so, Liverpool would say; he was merely one of several they looked into. There was no preferred choice, they insist, until they alighted on Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. But he seemed to emerge from the shadows. The high-profile nature of the Portuguese’s candidacy contrasted with the low-key approach adopted by Slot. He got the job by stealth, almost without warning.

Five months after he might have done, Amorim will make it to Anfield on Sunday; but in charge of Manchester United. A meeting of managerial opposites has given them very different experiences in charge of England’s two biggest clubs. Slot has had the smoothest of starts at Liverpool, Amorim the rockiest of beginnings at United. Slot has taken his team to the top of the Premier League and Champions League tables. Amorim has warned his new employers are at risk of dropping into the Championship. “This club needs a shock,” he said on Monday.

Mohamed Salah has said he refuses to be distracted by the uncertainty about his future, as he concentrates on having an “unbelievable season” to meet his target of winning the Premier League again with Liverpool.

The Egypt forward is in the last six months of his contract and said he is still “far away” from agreeing a new deal with the club.

But Salah leads the way in the Premier League for both goals and assists, with 17 and 13, as he has helped Liverpool take a six-point lead.

Arne Slot acknowled he has had conversations with Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the Liverpool right-back the subject of an initial enquiry from Real Madrid heading into the new year.

With the vice-captain out of contract in summer he’s now allowed to discuss terms with overseas clubs for a potential free transfer at the end of the season, though reports suggest the Spanish club could return with an offer to take him to Madrid this month.

That’s despite the Reds rejecting their initial conversations over a deal, amid an intention to continue negotiating over an extension for the England international.

Arne Slot has claimed that the saga about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future is helpful to him as it prevents his Liverpool players from being overloaded with praise that could make them complacent.

Real Madrid made an initial approach for the right-back this week, which Liverpool rebuffed before the Champions League holders could even make a bid.

But Alexander-Arnold, along with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, is out of contract in the summer and could leave Anfield on a free transfer. The 26-year-old has been able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs since New Year’s Day and Real have made no secret of their interest in him.