FA Cup

Man Utd 3-2 Liverpool: Match stats, highlights and manager quotes

by
Georgia Wickes
January 25, 2021

These two teams last met each other in the fourth round of the FA cup in January 2012 where Liverpool stole the victory with a 2-1 win against Manchester United at Anfield. Now, 9 years later, Man Utd have sought revenge as they move into the fifth round of the FA Cup, knocking out Liverpool with a huge 3-2 win at Old Trafford.

The cup tie was exciting from start to finish, with both teams creating chances and capitalising on big moments. None more so than Man United’s ‘Portuguese Magnifico’ Bruno Fernandes who was subbed on in the 66^th minute, only to score an outstanding free kick 12-minutes later, which ended up being the match-winner.

When asked about his big moment in a post-match interview, Fernandes is quoted by ManUtd.com as saying: “Edi [Edinson Cavani] before the free kick told me: ‘try a hard one on the side of the keeper’. I tried it and it went in”. It is coming up to the one-year anniversary of the day Fernandes joined Man United and he had some special words to say about his experience as a Man United player so far, describing it as a ‘dream’ to play for the club in the Premier League.

Man United’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also commented on the Portuguese midfielder’s stunning free kick in his post-match interview, “I think he [Bruno] stayed about 45 minutes after training yesterday shooting free kicks, so I was quite confident he was going to hit the target”.

Jurgen Klopp, speaking to reporters in his post-match interview commented on his team’s defeat saying, “there was a lot of good things and some mistakes around the goals. If you want to win here, you have to be absolutely top and we were not.”.

Match Highlights

First half:

19 mins: GOAL – Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a chip over Man United’s goalie Dean Henderson after the ball was played into him by Roberto Firmino.
26 mins: GOAL – Man United’s equaliser came shortly after Salah’s goal in the form of a classic United counterattack. The ball first broke to Marcus Rashford who was sitting a wide position on the left, he then played a stunning ball over Liverpool defenders to Mason Greenwood who smashed it past Liverpool goalie Alisson into the back of the net.
42 mins: BOOKED – Liverpool defender Fabinho was booked after a foul on Greenwood which gave Man United a freekick in a dangerous position just outside the box. Paul Pogba stepped up and proceeded to curl the ball slightly wide of the post.

At half time, the score remains level at 1-1.

Second half:

48 mins: GOAL – the roles are reversed as Greenwood supplies Rashford with a beautiful assist over the top of the Liverpool defenders which Rashford slips past Alisson into the corner of the goal.
58 mins: GOAL – Firmino plays a teasing ball into Salah who smashes it straight past Man United goalie Henderson from inside the penalty area.
62 mins: SUB – Sadio Mane comes on for Georginio Wijnaldum.
66 mins: SUB – double change for Man United as Fred and Bruno Fernandes come on for Donny van de Beek and Greenwood. Pogba moves into a right-wing position.
70 mins: BOOKING – Mane is booked after he followed through on a challenge against Fred, catching him on the ankle.
78 mins: GOAL – Cavani wins a freekick just outside of the Liverpool box and Bruno Fernandes does not disappoint, swerving the ball round the Liverpool wall and into the bottom corner of the goal.
82 mins: SUB – double change for Liverpool as Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi come on in place of Firmino and Thiago.
86 mins: SUB – Anthony Martial comes on for Rashford who exited the pitch straight down the tunnel after limping on the pitch with a possible injury concern.
89 mins: BOOKING – Victor Lindelöf gets the first booking for Man United.
90 mins + 2: BOOKING – Pogba is the second man for United to receive a booking, giving Liverpool a freekick just outside the Man United box. Trent Alexander-Arnold makes a cross into the box and Salah proceeds to fire the ball wide of goal.