Things learned as Jose Mourinho got everything right but Dejan Lovren got everything wrong

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  • All smiles: Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp

    Marcus Rashford returned to the starting line-up in style as the Manchester United forward struck a match-winning brace to settle a pulsating 200th meeting with bitter rivals Liverpool.

    The hotly-contested race for second spot in the Premier League only added intrigue to the Saturday duel between these old foes at Old Trafford.

    Jose Mourinho may not yet fully grasp the emotion of this fixture but Rashford certainly does, with the academy graduate inspiring his hometown team to a 2-1 win as Eric Bailly’s own goal brought a nervy ending against Liverpool.

    Here, are three things learned from Liverpool’s perspective.

    REDS PAY THE PENALTY

    Jurgen Klopp (L) is talked to by referee Craig Pawson (2L)

    Jurgen Klopp (L) is talked to by referee Craig Pawson (2L)

    For a game which was ultimately decided by a fascinating tactical tussle, it seems needless to discuss the officials but Liverpool should have been given at least one penalty at Old Trafford.

    There are three incidents for discussion and we’ll lay out the rationale for all of them.

    First, is a pull on Salah. Ashley Young was absolutely brilliant in one v one situations with Salah, tracking him back superbly all afternoon and nullifying Liverpool’s red-hot goalscorer.

    But there was a wobble in the 50th minute as in the area Salah controlled a beautifully chipped ball by Roberto Firmino only to be clearly tugged by Young.

    Salah tried to play on and work space to shoot but United got the ball away. If the Egyptian had hit the deck, it’s a penalty, he doesn’t so it’s not. However, two other calls were more muddied.

    The second shout was shortly after the first with Andy Robertson’s cross from the left blatantly striking the arm of Antonio Valencia. There’s two points for consideration; is the distance between the delivery and Valencia too small for it to be deliberate? Tough to say. Does his arm deliberately move towards the ball? Given it’s his trailing arm as he’s running back to his own goal, it looks a natural movement.

    It’s one of those scenarios in which people will say “they’ve seen them given”. However, the third claim is the most clear-cut.

    Marouane Fellaini fouls Sadio Mane. As the Senegalese bursts into the box to latch onto Firmino’s delicate flick, he’s clumsily bundled to the ground.

    The referee’s whistle was silent but Liverpool were right to bellow their vexation.

    DEJAN-VU

    Dejan Lovren battles for the ball with Romelu Lukaku

    Dejan Lovren battles for the ball with Romelu Lukaku

    Two long passes, two goals and two occasions Dejan Lovren was overpowered by Romelu Lukaku in a crucial phase of play.

    The Liverpool defender could not handle Lukaku’s physicality and the two first-half Rashford strikes were borne out of his failure to not even take command but just compete.

    Mourinho clearly set his side out to target Liverpool’s weak link in the channel between Lovren and Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Portuguese deserves tremendous credit for his devious tactical ploy.

    Lukaku won the aerial battle with little difficultly and as Lovren stepped out, the exposed space in behind is what ultimately allowed Rashford a scope to score.

    Alexander-Arnold shouldn’t escape blame for his role in both goals but fundamentally the fault line begins with Lovren and it set off tremors of errors.

    According to Sky Sports, 66 per cent of United’s attacks emerged from the left side and it was borderline negligible that Lovren and Van Dijk didn’t swap positions.

    Instead, Liverpool were given a repeat first-half performance to the Tottenham calamity Lovren produced.

    And this is the thing with the Croat, he lulls you into this false sense of security with a run of games in which he is superb before the inevitable failure arrives.

    He’s just not good enough.

    PRESSING AT A HIGH COST

    David De Gea celebrates his side's second

    David De Gea celebrates his side’s second

    Mourinho got a lot of things right and that fact must not be missed. There can be criticism for his line-ups sometimes but from switching Alexis Sanchez to No10, to starting Marcus Rashford on the left, he deserves immense credit.

    He also warrants praise for outsmarting Jurgen Klopp with his ability to expose the fallibility of Liverpool’s high press.

    David De Gea hit 28 passes against Liverpool, all of which were distributed long.

    Granted, he only found a United target with seven of those passes but two created goals.

    Liverpool’s pressing midfield was completely bypassed, the ball finding an excellent Lukaku with the overlapping wingers running into the space in behind.

    Simple but effective. From a defensive standpoint they were set-up resolutely, too. United let Liverpool move to the ball into the final third but in doing so it allowed them time to bolt into a rigid shape and block the space.

    Then they would counter with the direct ball over the top. A tactical tip of the cap to Mourinho in exposing the dangers of Liverpool’s ‘Gegenpressing’.

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