One-nil down, 15 shots faced and no shot at the
Liverpool goal. Yet Manchester United's exit at half-time was soundtracked to cheers rather than jeers. They were louder within five minutes of the restart. And again in the 67th minute. For the second month running at the Stretford End, United levelled against Liverpool with something out of nothing. Jarell Quansah's careless pass, clipped in magnificently by Bruno Fernandes, transformed a non-event into a contest. Kobbie Mainoo, majestic against Liverpool last month, was minutes away from the matchwinner with his first Old Trafford goal. Jurgen Klopp, impatient with Liverpool's forwards at 1-0, let rip at 1-2. Whatever Erik ten Hag's fate, he has reserved his best moments for games with Liverpool. Or rather, the players have. Ten Hag was on the cusp of a home hat-trick against Liverpool until Aaron Wan-Bissaka overestimated the reach of his sliding tackle to upend Harvey Elliott. Elliott, robbed of the ball for Amad's winner in the cup tie, goaded Wan-Bissaka. READ MORE: Player ratings vs Liverpool READ MORE: United vs Liverpool highlights and reaction United's followers sang "Oh United, we love you" as full-time loomed. Antony had a presentable chance to win it, eerily from practically the same patch of grass Amad did in the quarter-final. Elliott had a later chance and his volley was gathered cleanly by Andre Onana. After the final whistle, the Stretford End sang about returning to Wembley. United's league campaign feels a write-off, merely a question of which Europa competition they will compete in next season. Their season will not be judged by the FA Cup but it is the focus of the matchgoers. United have one win in their past six league fixtures and remain marooned in sixth. Newcastle, likely their penultimate opponents in the rescheduled game at Old Trafford, lurk only two points behind. There is some consolation for United fans in halting Liverpool's momentum after they failed to return to the summit. The Stretford burst into a chorus of "Jurgen's cracking up" during the game and it continued when he approached the tunnel. Many will recall that chant was first invented for another Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez, 15 years ago. United were title winners back then. Liverpool's lock-in started with a rendition of "You're not famous anymore". Amid the downpour, lightning did not strike twice. For a half, normality was restored by Liverpool and their dominance reflected the 22-point chasm between themselves and United. The only positive of the first 45 minutes for United was they trailed by only a goal. With one shot - their first shot - from Fernandes in the 50th minute they suddenly had a shot at winning a match they seemed destined to lose. Mainoo took it with his shot. In attendance for his third United game of the season, Sir Jim Ratcliffe failed to witness a win from the directors' box again. Like the 70,000 matchgoers of a United persuasion, he must appreciate United's effort against superior opposition. Despite the scoreline and the commitment, this was not remotely compelling evidence in Ten Hag's favour. Klopp will be scratching his head long after he bids farewell to Liverpool over how they failed to win any of their last three games against United. Liverpool had 87 attempts at goal across them. The Old Trafford roof leaked and shots were raining on Onana's goal. There were 15 in the first half alone and
Mohamed Salah unleashed three in under three minutes. Salah required a penalty at the Scoreboard End to change the scoreboard. Salah's third act of profligacy with Liverpool ahead particularly enraged Klopp, usually wont to offering enthusiastic applause at the failure of a conversion. The scenes from the cup tie still fresh in his memory. While United were only a goal behind, there was a glimmer. Fernandes gave them hope. Liverpool had recorded 13 attempts at goal to United's zero when Luis Diaz was felled in a rumbustious but fair challenge. Much to the United fans' chagrin, Casemiro kicked the ball into touch. United's fast starts in their previous two triumphs over Liverpool at Old Trafford were crowned with goals and there would have been an earlier breakthrough had Fernandes not needlessly delayed his through ball. Those in the press box knew the linesman's flag would be raised while it remained by his side. Until his goal, Fernandes was especially egregious in another example of United's senior players failing to alleviate the onerous burden on their talismanic teenagers. Garnacho suffered from switching wings. That was counter-productive and to accommodate Marcus Rashford, who bickered with Rasmus Hojlund when an early second-half charge came to nought. Hojlund continues to resemble the goalless pre-Boxing Day
Premier League striker since he returned from injury. Ten Hag raised his index finger and pointed to the opposite side, code for United to target the whippersnapper Conor Bradley, booked in the seventh minute. That was the closest United came to unnerving Liverpool before the interval as they strove to restore normality after the aberration three weeks earlier. Liverpool fans anticipate corners with choreographed clapping more befitting a
Tennis match. Their positivity was rewarded with Diaz's goal from a Darwin Nunez flick-on against United's obliging defenders in the 23rd minute. Announcements were aired to supporters on the concourse instructing them not to stoop to the low of tragedy chanting. Ten Hag and Klopp implored both sets of supporters to eschew the cheap points-scoring but the tribalism was still fleetingly soundtracked to songs about the Heysel disaster. Liverpool fans briefly attempted to bait United into airing the deplorable Hillsborough song. United's support at half-time was more effective.