Manchester United seal Champions League return as Mainoo ends Liverpool comeback
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On 75 minutes up stepped Kobbie Mainoo with the coolest of winners before the Stretford End to cause bedlam among home fans and wrest the bragging rights Manchester United’s way.After a raid down the left Alexis Mac Allister’s weak clearance rolled to the midfielder who beat Dominik Szoboszlai to punch home a finish that bested Freddie Woodman to the Liverpool goalkeeper’s right.After ceding a 2-0 half-time lead this ensured a league double over the visitors for a first time in a decade. Yet zoom out, and as United and Liverpool are not in the title race this meeting of England’s heavyweights was akin to two follicly-challenged men fighting over a comb.Michael Carrick and his men will, of course, be far happier – as victory also confirmed what was all but a (mathematical) certainty: United are back in the Champions League next season and the interim manager has every chance of being offered the No 1 job.He will not be content, though, with how United folded after the interval, allowing Arne Slot’s visitors to respond to Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko’s first-half strikes with goals by Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo.
Each derived from errant United passes, from Amad Diallo for Szoboszlai’s, Senne Lammens’ for Gakpo’s equaliser.United were as lively as against Brentford on Monday at the start, launching several raids down the right. This time, with his left boot, the shot caromed off Mac Allister and beat Woodman to the keeper’s left and home celebrations broke out.Soon, there were more as United’s thrust shredded Liverpool.
When Gakpo found room by the home D and shot this went wide but at least space had been found by the division’s fourth-placed side.Liverpool’s issue was allowing too much of this to United. Liverpool were inferior in all but spirit: enough to draw level and stymie United who now had more of the contest coming at them.Example: Szoboszlai swung in a free-kick, United’s rearguard slumbered and Lammens stabbed the ball off the line.Now, though, came Mainoo’s clincher and United remain headed for a finish of third.