In a fixture devoid of attacking incisiveness from the first whistle, Jurgen Klopp’s men enjoyed 69% possession and fired 34 shots to no avail, as the Reds dropped points at home for the first time this season.
Erik ten Hag’s troops showed a few flickers of life in the final third, albeit not enough to truly trouble Alisson Becker, and the visitors also survived a late red card to Diogo Dalot to take home a well-earned point.
In the absence of the suspended Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay donned the captain’s armband for the Red Devils, while Kobbie Mainoo was given the nod in midfield in place of the suspended skipper.
As anticipated, Man United were immediately forced back into a defensive shape by Liverpool, but a distinct lack of a cutting edge let the Reds down throughout a wholly forgettable first half.
A well-drilled Man United backline also did their part to limit any clear-cut chances for the hosts, who did not genuinely trouble Andre Onana until the 30th minute, as the Cameroonian palmed Virgil van Dijk’s header from a corner up into the air and over the crossbar.
Mohamed Salah – who came into Sunday’s game having scored in six successive fixtures against Man United – was the next to ask a question of Man United’s under-fire number one in the 43rd minute, but Onana answered with ease, getting down low to hang onto the Egyptian’s tame attempt.
The Anfield atmosphere was noticeably flat as both teams headed down the tunnel for half-time refreshments, where Ten Hag would have undoubtedly been the happier manager, and a similar story befell the hosts at the start of the second period.
As Ryan Gravenberch gingerly trudged off the pitch injured in the 61st minute, Klopp moved Trent Alexander-Arnold into a midfield role as Joe Gomez took his compatriot’s place at right-back, which more than played its part in the game suddenly springing into life.
Taking up a dangerous central position just outside the area, Alexander-Arnold fizzed a low drive a whisker wide of the post in the 66th minute before attempting to fire up the crowd, who then had their hearts in their mouths in the 69th minute when Rasmus Hojlund faced up to Alisson, but the Brazilian closed down the angle well as Hojlund shot straight into his chest.
The end-to-end action continued as Onana palmed a Salah curler away to safety in the 71st minute, five moments before Man United were caught sleeping from a quick Salah throw-in, but a combination of Onana, Luke Shaw and Dalot denied Luis Diaz from close range.
As the ball was trickling wide, however, Nunez bizarrely stopped playing to appeal for a penalty rather than busting a gut to try to keep the attack alive, and from the resulting corner, Ibrahima Konate produced a silky turn before shooting straight at Onana.
The ante was still being upped by Liverpool heading into the closing stages, but a ruthless nature was still eluding them, as Gomez fired into the side netting in the 86th minute before Dalot was cautioned twice in the space of a few seconds deep into added time.
The Portuguese right-back was infuriated that a throw-in did not go his side’s way and talked himself into one yellow card before foolishly continuing his argument, giving Michael Oliver no choice but to dismiss him, but Liverpool could not make their extra man count in the minimal time that remained.
The Reds’ failure to prevail means that Arsenal end the weekend one point clear of Klopp’s men at the top of the standings, while Man United remain in seventh position, six points off the Champions League places.
Liverpool now gear up for Wednesday’s EFL Cup quarter-final with West Ham United before hosting Arsenal in next Saturday’s top-of-the-table showdown, while Man United are in top-flight action against the Irons in six days’ time.
