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Harry Maguire headed Manchester United to their first win at Anfield since 2016, inflicting a breathless 2-1 defeat on struggling champions Liverpool.
Bryan Mbeumo fired United in front with barely a minute on the clock and Ruben Amorim's side could easily have added to their advantage as Bruno Fernandes spurned a golden opportunity.
Cody Gakpo remarkably hit the post three times and, after Arne Slot slung on several attacking substitutes, the Netherlands forward tapped home with 12 minutes remaining.
Liverpool looked the most likely winners at that point but Maguire, who had a stoppage-time chance to win this game last season, headed in from Fernandes' cross to leave Slot's men fourth and four points behind leaders Arsenal. The Red Devils are just two points back of their fierce rivals.
Liverpool vs. Man United score
Fulltime | Goalscorers | |
Liverpool | 1 | Gakpo 78' |
Man United | 2 | Mbeumo 2', Maguire 83' |
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: Michael Oliver
Keep track of every game and every goal via SN's live Premier League scoreboard
Starting lineups:
Liverpool (4-2-3-1, right to left): 25. Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK) — 12. Conor Bradley (7. Florian Wirtz), 5. Ibrahima Konate, 4. Virgil van Dijk, 6. Milos Kerkez — 38. Ryan Gravenberch (17. Curtis Jones), 10. Alexis Mac Allister (22. Hugo Ekitike), — 11. Mohamed Salah (30 Jeremie Frimpong), 8. Dominik Szoboszlai, 18. Cody Gakpo — 9. Alexander Isak (14. Federico Chiesa)
Man United (3-4-3, right to left): 31. Senne Lammens (GK) — 4. Matthijs de Ligt, 5. Harry Maguire, 23. Luke Shaw (15. Leny Yoro) — 16. Amad Diallo (13. Patrick Dorgu), 18. Casemiro (25. Manuel Ugarte), 8. Bruno Fernandes (37. Kobbie Mainoo), 2. Diogo Dalot — 19. Bryan Mbeumo, 7. Mason Mount, 10. Matheus Cunha
MORE: Liverpool vs. Man United history, head to head record, trophies won, all-time results
A helter-skelter contest kicked into gear immediately.
Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Mbeumo all collided near the centre circle and Mac Allister stayed down. Play was allowed to continue and Mbeumo ran off the back of Van Dijk to blast past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Prior to kickoff, Slot suggested United's decision to start without a conventional centre-forward meant they would play defensively. As it turned out, Amorim saw his team attack arguably more effectively than they have done at any time in his tenure.
Fernandes was everywhere during the opening exchanges but should have scored when picked out by the industrious Amad Diallo. Milos Kerkez, one of several big-money Liverpool buys ailing right now, almost gifted a goal to Mason Mount.
At the other end, Gakpo rammed against the upright at the end of a counter-attack and tested Senne Lammens' furniture.
The former PSV star was aghast when he got the ball out of his feet five minutes after halftime and rattled the post in front of the Kop. That preceded Liverpool's best spell, although the unusually off-colour Mohamed Salah shanked a volley horribly wide.
Slot's decision to switch to a 4-2-4, with Florian Wirtz in central midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back and Hugo Ekitike up front with Alexander Isak was either bold or a confused attempt to cram all his stars onto the pitch together, depending on your reading.
Eventually the equaliser arrived when another replacement, Federico Chiesa, picked out Gakpo from a position it was virtually impossible to hit the post. But Liverpool lacked the stability and rhythm to launch a convincing final assault.
If United are one thing, they're deeply familiar with Amorim's much-lamented system. A moment of magic from Fernandes to tee up a popular match-winner sealed the deal. The Portuguese tactician has back-to-back league wins for the first time in his tenure and United move up to ninth, just two points behind Liverpool.
Liverpool vs. Man United live updates, highlights, and commentary
Fulltime
It's all over. Bryan Mbeumo gave Liverpool the lead with barely a minutes played and things never let up from there. Cody Gakpo equalised after hitting the post three times but Harry Maguire had the final word. Ruben Amorim has won back-to-back league games in charge of Manchester United for the first time and is the first United manager to win at Anfield since Louis van Gaal.
97 mins: Wirtz sets one back to Kerkez. Ugarte flings himself in the way of his cross. United very deep now. They're about 90 seconds away.
95 mins: Frimpong tries to get away from Dorgu and wants a free-kick deep in United territory. Goal kick given.
94 mins: United seeing this out quite smartly at the moment.
90 mins: Eight additional minutes. Hold onto your hats and your heads.
88 mins: Now a chance for De Ligt at the back post from a deep set piece. We really aren't done here.
87 mins: WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS HOLY! Frimpong into the United box, Gakpo and the back post heads wide of an open goal from four yards. Just ridiculous stuff.
84 mins: GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!! Harry Maguire!!!!!
Would you believe it?!?! Mbeumo's shot from the corner is blocked. Fernandes volleys a lovely cross back into the mix and Maguire steers the header home. My word.
83 mins: Sesko stretches his legs but Szoboszlai blocks the hsot behind. Corner to United.
78 mins: GOOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!! Cody Gakpo!!!!
Well, if one man on the pitch deserves a goal. Liverpool's rumbling pressure pays off. Chiesa drills across goal and even Gakpo can't hit the post from there.
75 mins: Jones sashays forward from midfield, where he has room to dictate things, and drills a shot that Lammens holds.
72 mins: Slot's bold gambit of having all his most expensive players spread out and run around ends as Chiesa replaces the ineffective Isak.
66 mins: Drama at the other end now! Van Dijk boots Dorgu's cross into Kerkez's cou and it flies just over the Liverpool bar.
65 mins: Ohhhh, Mo Salah! Liverpool storm the United box, Salah in loads of room at the back post but shanks wide.
64 mins: Ekitike has his first sighter and blasts over from range.
63 mins: That shakes out as a 4-2-4 for Liverpool. with Szoboszlai back to right-back and Wirtz in a central midfield two. Ekitike and Isak up front together. It feels bold and also a bit like the sort of thing you might do on FIFA as opposed to real life. Bring on the chaos.
61 mins: Sesko comes on for Mount for the visitors, while Liverpool make a triple change. Jones, Wirtz and Ekitike on for Gravenberch, Bradley and Mac Allister.
60 mins: Mac Allister combines with Szoboszlai before a loose ball breaks his way for him to fire over on the half volley.
58 mins: Ugarte coming on for Casemiro in a straight swap. Dorgu also coming on for Amad, the other man on a yellow card.
57 mins: Casemiro into the book for a late lunge on Salah and he stays down with cramp.
54 mins: Salah peels away to the far post but makes a complete hash of the volley.
53 mins: Amad flies into challenge, wins the ball but is booked for perceived dangerous play. Maguire heads Szoboszlai's cross over his own bar into the Kop.
51 mins: Concern for Liverpool here as Gravenberch needs treatment having twisted his knee in a challenge with Mbeumo.
50 mins: GAKPO HITS THE POST AGAIN! The Dutchman puts his head in his hands. Salah's cross from the right comes all the way through, Gakpo gets the ball out of his feet and rattles the right post.
Kickoff: 2nd Half
We're back underway. No changes yet for either side.
Halftime
Liverpool poke and prod a little more and will reflect on hitting the post twice at the end of a frustrating half. But United definitely should have added to Bryan Mbeumo's second-minute opener. An intriguing second half awaits.
41 mins: A booming in-swinging corner has Mamadashvili scrambling. He has to look at another from Mbeumo and his defence get the job done.
35 mins: Liverpool's defenders have looked in shambles doing their main job s today, but here's another fine pass out from the back four, Konate this time and Isak darts through on goals. Lammens stands strong but it's not really a finish befitting the most expensive player in British football history.
33 mins: Oh, Gakpo's hit the post again. Van Dijk finds his compatriot with a raking pass and his floated attempt clears Lammens and bounces to safety off the far upright.
27 mins: Kerkez with a dreadful pass inside his own box. Mamardashvili beats Mount's shot away. Liverpool survive. United will be kicking themselves. The champions are all over the place.
25 mins: Another chance, as Mbeumo pulls out the the right and sends in a dangerous ball that Mount flicks over. Real nervousness around Anfield now.
24 mins: Ohhhhh, Fernandes really should make it 2-0! Cunha launches a fabulous pass to Amad, who gets into the Liverpool box and sets it back to his skipper, who blasts just wide from 15 yards. A player of his calibre has to score.
21 mins: Gakpo hits the post! Dalot gives the ball away high up the pitch and Liverpool lauch into a scything break that end with Gakpo shuddering Lammens' left post
17 mins: Penalty claims against Amad but the referee waves them away and the VAR decrees his arms were in a natural position.
14 mins: Salah curls in a free-kick from the left. It's a lovely delivery from deep but Van Dijk is always straining for the diving header.
10 mins: It's been a great start from United, with Bruno Fernandes to the fore in a central midfield role he hasn't always looked entirely suited to against the best sides.
5 mins: Mac Allister is back on and with some protection on his head, which very much adds weight to Liverpool complaints that the match should hve been stopped due to a head injury.
2 mins: GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Bryan Mbeumo!!!!!
What a start for United, Mac Allister loses a challenge in midfield and stays down. The visitors spring forward, Amad slots a pass to Mbeumo, who has run off the back of Van Dijk and slams home.
Kickoff: 1st Half
We're underway. United work the ball around calmly under a hail of boos.
5 mins before kickoff: Here come the teams. Anfield crackling
20 mins before kickoff: Maguire brings more experience into the United back three. Part of the motivation for that might be the lack of experience between the posts when it comes to this sort of occasion. Maguire has been speaking to Sky Sports about Lammens and likes what he's seen so far.
We have to help Lammens through it. We have to limit the shots that he has to save, especially as a defender. He's a calm lad, I've been really impressed, he's bided his time to come in his team and last time out against Sunderland he was excellent. He was really calm and good with his hands and feet, I see that day in day out in training.
He's going to be a brilliant goalkeeper for this club but we have to remember he's a young boy. It's his first game at Anfield, I'm sure he's going to feel the nerves and the pressure. But I'm sure he will deal with it very well.

Getty
40 mins before kickoff: Always nice to get your digs in early on days like today. Arne Slot has hinted Manchester United are coming to park the bus.
"We've seen Sesko play the last three, four five or six times, but they go to Liverpool they change the line-up. That's not the first where we've faced a team [and they've done that]," he told Sky Sports.
I'd counter with the observation that United have looked a far more fluent side whenever the injury-cursed Mount has managed to get on the field this season.

1 hr 5 mins before kickoff: Continuing the theme of big summer signing being on the bench, Sesko misses out for United, with Mount joining Mbeumo and Cunha in the front three.
Dalot and Amad are the wing-backs with Mazraoui and Dorgu on the bench. Maguire gets the nod over Yoro at centre-back.
📣 Your United XI for today's trip to Anfield 👇
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 19, 2025
1 hr 15 mins before kickoff: The teams are in. Kerkez and Bradley get the nod at full-back for Liverpool, with Isak starting up front. Wirtz on the bench again.
Team news is IN for #LIVMUN 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 19, 2025
1 hr 30 mins before kickoff: But here's the thing, the 7-0 was the last time United lost at Anfield. They played out a drab 0-0 during Ten Hag's final season at the helm before leading 1-0 and coming back from 2-1 down to grab a 2-2 draw last term. Indeed, since meting out that historic humiliation, Liverpool have only won one of the past five editions of the fixture in all competitions. That does feel crazy, given Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp to win the league during that period, while United have been, well… United.

1 hr 45 mins before kickoff: Prior to one of football's most historic fixtures, it's always nice to be able to reference one of the great thinkers of our times. So, to channel Super Hans from Peep Show, why do Manchester United always seem to enter this fixture with a powerful sense of dread? Aside from their general struggles that have spluttered on in one form or another for more than a decade, it all comes back to that 7-0 defeat under Erik ten Hag in March 2023. That remained as a before-and-after moment for Ten Hag, whose United team had recently won the Carabao Cup and went into that match as slight favourites. Without that, we probably don't get the Ruben Amorim instalment of the psychodrama.
2 hours before kickoff. Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the Premier League showdown between Liverpool and Manchester United. Forty English titles between them. How are the nerves?
Liverpool vs. Man United kick off time
The Liverpool vs. Man United match kicks off in Liverpool at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Date | Kickoff time | |
USA | Sun, Oct 19 | 11:30 a.m. ET |
Canada | Sun, Oct 19 | 11:30 a.m. ET |
UK | Sun, Oct 19 | 4:30 p.m. BST |
Australia | Mon, Oct 20 | 2:30 a.m. AEDT |
India | Sun, Oct 19 | 11:00 p.m. IST |
Liverpool vs. Man United lineups, team news
Ibrahima Konate was withdrawn from the France squad ahead of Monday's game against Iceland, but is fit to start alongside Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.
Liverpool will be without Giovanni Leoni, who suffered a knee injury, and their first-choice goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, who has been sidelined with a thigh injury.
Florian Wirtz is on the bench, as he was for the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Mamardashvili (GK) — Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez — Gravenberch, Mac Allister, — Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo — Isak
Liverpool subs: Woodman (GK), Gomez, Wirtz, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Robertson, Frimpong, Ngumoha
Manchester United hadtwo outstanding injuries in their squad: Lisandro Martinez, who is not yet ready to return from a knee injury, and Noussair Mazraoui, who has made the bench despite nursing a thigh injury.
Casemiro and Matheus Cunha both feature despite long trip back from South America. The latter is joined in the front three by Mason Mount, with Benjamin Sesko among the substitutes.
Man United starting XI (3-4-3, right to left): Lammens (GK) — De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw — Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot — Mbeumo, Mount, Cunha
Man United subs: Bayindir (GK), Mazraoui, Zirkzee, Dorgu, Yoro, Ugarte, Heaven, Sesko, Mainoo
Liverpool vs. Man United live stream, TV channel
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world's major regions:
Region | TV | Streaming |
USA | USA Network, Telemundo | Fubo, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
Canada | — | Fubo |
UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League | Sky GO, Sky Sports website |
Australia | — | Optus Sport |
India | Star Sports Select 1 | Hotstar, JioTV |