Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat in their frenetic 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester United at Anfield.
Bryan Mbeumo notched the fixture’s joint-fastest goal within just two minutes, with Liverpool frustrated that a head injury to Alexis Mac Allister didn’t put a stop to the move.
Cody Gakpo equalized in the 78th minute after striking the post three times, only for Harry Maguire’s header late on to earn United their first win at Anfield in nearly a decade.
As it happened
The visitors stunned Anfield inside two minutes as Amad Diallo picked out Mbeumo running in behind Virgil van Dijk with the outside of his foot, before the Frenchman rifled the shot past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Questions were being asked of referee Michael Oliver as to why the game wasn’t halted during the build up, as Mac Allister received treatment for a head injury moments later.
It equaled Nicky Butt’s strike back in 1995 as the fastest goal the derby has ever seen.
The Reds came closest to an equalizer on 20 minutes when Gakpo was released on the left wing by Mohamed Salah in the middle, cutting onto his right foot and hitting the post.
Just three minutes later, Matheus Cunha picked up the ball and found Diallo with a terrific switch, before the right wing back cut it back for Bruno Fernandes who smashed the shot inches wide.
Liverpool were living dangerously again when Miloš Kerkez’s dubious backpass nearly led to Mbuemo getting to it before Mamardashvili, who then reactively parried the follow up shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Senne Lammens was tested twice in two minutes, once by Salah’s header inside the penalty area just after Gakpo kissed the post with a cross, and then by Alexander Isak’s powerful low drive when he was picked out with a smart through ball by Ibrahima Konaté.
Fortune had smiled upon either side, and Gakpo nearly diverted a free kick from Bruno Fernandes into his own net and was relieved to see it clear the crossbar.
Man United hadn’t lost a game after scoring first since March 2024, and survived another scare as Gakpo drove another shot against the right post on the end of Salah’s free kick delivery.
Liverpool’s profligacy in front of goal prompted Slot to change to a more attacking 4-2-4, introducing Hugo Ekitiké and Curtis Jones.
It nearly paid off as his side sprang forward just after the hour mark, and found Salah on the end of a cross at the back post only to see the Egyptian spear it wide – another huge miss.
The pressure eventually told as Gakpo – who had remarkably struck the post three times in the match – was in the right place at the right time to tap in Federico Chiesa’s cross following a scramble in the United penalty area.
But Liverpool’s defensive issues were exposed for all of Anfield to see just eight minutes later as Maguire’s bullet header to meet Fernandes’ cross stunned the home fans into silence for a second time.
United stood firm for a mammoth eight minutes of stoppage time, as the full-time whistle was met with a roar from the away support as they moved to within two points of the Reds with their first win at Anfield since 2016.
Liverpool’s full-back problem
It’s been a tough start to the season for Slot’s full-backs.
Jeremie Frimpong’s struggles in a red shirt saw him benched in favour of Conor Bradley, only replaced in the second half as Dominik Szoboszlai was drafted into right-back once more.
Liverpool were powerless to stop Amad’s surge forward in the right channel, giving him far to much space to begin with, which ultimately led to United’s wickedly fast opener.
What’s more, Kerkez seemed uncomfortable for large parts of the game, almost handing Mbeumo his second on a silver platter and putting in a succession of unsuccessful crosses.
It’s evident which of Liverpool’s new boys are struggling to adjust to the Premier League, yet the core of last season’s defence from last season isn’t gelling with them effectively.
In an almost comical moment, Van Dijk flicked a cross from Patrick Dorgu against Kerkez’s face, sending the ball looping just over the crossbar from close range.
As much as it’s on Liverpool’s new signings to get up to speed, their teammates who were there before them aren’t on the same page.
United showed much-needed character
It wasn’t pretty viewing for the majority of the match for Ruben Amorim’s side.
Yet, they showed something that too many of their performances have missed before their derby clash: character.
Although a great amount of luck was needed to withstand the onslaught from Liverpool in the second half, they were rarely beaten to the second ball in the first and threw themselves in front of everything they could as the game neared its end.
It is fair to say that few saw this result coming, yet United’s guile was just about enough to shock the footballing world – and might justify their unwavering faith in Amorim.
The lineups
LIV: Marmadashvili; Kerkez, Van Dijk, Konaté, Bradley; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Salah; Isak
MUN: Lammens; Shaw, Maguire, De Ligt; Dalot, Fernandes, Casemiro, Amad; Mount, Mbeumo; Cunha