Manchester United Ends 18-Year Anfield Wait with 2-1 Victory Over Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – Manchester United secured a historic 2-1 win against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, marking their first victory at the iconic stadium since January 2016. The result considerably shifts the premier League landscape, halting Liverpool’s momentum and providing a crucial boost for new United manager Ruben Amorim.
Harry Maguire scored the winning goal in the 84th minute, heading in a cross from captain Bruno Fernandes, sparking jubilant celebrations from the travelling United supporters. “We haven’t given our supporters enough days like this, we’ve been waiting for a long time to come to this pitch and win three points,” Maguire told sky sports. ”Its only three points but it’s worth a lot more for the guys, for the club and the fans.”
The victory echoes Manchester United’s last success at Liverpool, when Wayne Rooney scored the sole goal. It also represents Amorim’s first consecutive Premier League wins since his arrival in November 2024,following a 2-0 victory over Sunderland before the international break.
Liverpool had equalized through Cody Gakpo in the 78th minute, capitalizing on a cross from Federico Chiesa. However, Gakpo’s performance was a study in near misses, striking the post three times (21st, 50th minutes, and a blocked cross in the 32nd) and missing a clear header prospect in the 87th minute.
The defeat is Liverpool’s third consecutive league loss and fourth in all competitions. Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring for liverpool just 62 seconds into the match. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk urged resilience, stating, “We have to stay humble, keep working and keep our confidence as high as possible. When things get tough, it’s important to stay there for each other. The season is long.”
The results leave Manchester United ninth in the Premier League with 13 points, just two behind Liverpool (4th, 15 pts) and Bournemouth (3rd, 15 pts). League leaders Arsenal (1st, 19 pts) have extended their lead to four points after winning against Fulham.
Aston Villa Continue Ascent
In sunday’s other Premier League fixture, Aston Villa defeated Tottenham 2-1, securing their third consecutive league victory. Goals from Morgan Rogers (37th) and Emiliano Buendia (77th) overturned Rodrigo Bentancur’s early opener (5th). The winning goal was a product of intricate play, initiated by a long pass from Matty Cash and controlled expertly by Lucas Digne.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank acknowledged Villa’s quality, stating on Sky Sports, “villa scored two goals from outside the box at times when we didn’t expect it. We have to recognize the quality of their actions. We could have just as easily won.” Tottenham’s defeat, their second of the season, comes ahead of a Champions League trip to Monaco.
