Four Takeaways From Man Utd’s Champions League-Clinching Win Over Liverpool

Manchester United confirmed their spot in next season’s Champions League by beating bitter foes Liverpool 3–2 at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Devils weren’t drastically adrift of the top-five when Rúben Amorim departed the club in January, although their chances of returning to UEFA’s premier club competition in 2026–27 was deemed unlikely when Michael Carrick took the job.

His tenure hasn’t been without fault or error, and Sunday’s triumph was similarly imprecise, even if there was plenty to admire. The hosts blew a hapless Liverpool away in the opening stages, but were their own worst enemy in allowing the Reds a route back into the game.

Arne Slot’s side, emboldened by United’s errors, suddenly sought a historic come-from-behind win at Old Trafford in the second half, but it was the Red Devils who landed the decisive blow as an entertaining and open contest veered towards its final act. Kobbie Mainoo was United’s hero, finishing superbly from the edge of the area to seal a 3–2 win and complete their first double over Liverpool in a decade.

Cunha Emerging as Big-Game Player

Bryan Mbeumo had been the forward Man Utd had leant upon against the division’s best for much of the season. The Cameroonian, who’s gone slightly off the boil down the stretch but was bright here, scored in the reverse fixture, and also found the back of the net in wins over Manchester City and Arsenal at the start of Carrick’s tenure.

However, he’s since passed the mantle of producing on the big occasion to a fellow summer arrival. Matheus Cunha endeared himself to the Stretford End almost immediately after joining the club, with his lively opening-weekend performance against Arsenal a sign of things to come.

It’s taken some time for the maverick Brazilian to find his groove, and he’s proven to be decisive for the Red Devils as of late. His positioning wide left works with fullback Luke Shaw still reliable enough on the overlap, which allows Cunha to work infield without sacrificing balance.

He was the beneficiary of lax Liverpool defending in the opening exchanges, firing past Freddie Woodman via a critical Alexis Mac Allister deflection. It was his ninth league goal of the season, having scored the game’s only goal in the 1–0 win at Chelsea on his previous outing. Cunha has also found the back of the net against Arsenal (a match-winner late on), rivals Leeds United and Aston Villa in year one with the Red Devils.

Liverpool Right to Feel Aggrieved

Man Utd deservedly rushed into a 2–0 lead through Benjamin Šeško, who didn’t know all that much about his 10 Premier League goal after Freddie Woodman fingertipped Bruno Fernandes’s teasing header onto the lurking Slovenian.

It seemed innocuous at first, with the Liverpool players initially hoping for an offside. Šeško didn’t appear all that sheepish as he gallivanted off in celebration either.

However, it was soon confirmed that the goal was undergoing scrutiny from the video assistant referee (VAR), with replays suggesting the ball had flicked Šeško’s hand before crossing the line. There seemed to be a deviation, which became clear after some old-school “zooming in.”

Arne Slot seemed adamant the goal would be ruled out, but the VAR opted to stick with the on-field decision, much to the surprise of Sir Kenny Dalglish in the stands. Explaining why, the Premier League Match Center said there was ”no conclusive evidence” to rule that Šeško had handled the ball.

Liverpool’s performance warranted a more sizeable deficit at the time, but Slot was right to feel aggrieved with the decision.

Striker-Less Reds Suffer in Manchester

Liverpool knew they were going to be without Mohamed Salah against the team he almost always enjoys playing, and the visitors were dealt more bad news over the weekend. The groin injury Alexander Isak picked up in training was enough to keep him out of Sunday’s game, meaning the Swede joined the likes of Salah and Hugo Ekitiké on the injury list.

In the absence of three stars in attack, Slot opted for a familiar alternative. It was 4-2-4-esque with a pair of false nines. It wasn’t quite the same system that came up trumps for the Reds at the Etihad Stadium during a 2–0 win at Manchester City last year, but it wasn’t far off.

Despite the switch, familiar issues presided over this Liverpool display. The Reds were neat and tidy in spells, but undermined by a lack of penetration and a soft underbelly. They’ve been far too easy to play against all season, and Slot cannot attribute that solely to injuries/fatigue.

Still, the visitors deserve credit for seizing an opportunity after the restart, with two United errors ruthlessly punished. They were good for a 15-minute spell, with the overloading of bodies in midfield helping them assert control and pin the hosts back, who no longer looked so comfortable without the ball.

Nevertheless, Liverpool were unable to craft the all-important moment to crown a historic comeback at Old Trafford. They were deservedly beaten.

The Present and Future of Man Utd’s Midfield

Michael Carrick, Kobbie Mainoo — Mainoo was Man Utd’s match-winner, having just signed a new deal. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Man Utd lost the plot for much of the second half, with the overeagerness of their two midfielders a key contributing factor in Liverpool working their way back into the game.

Kobbie Mainoo was outstanding in the first half, performing with the level of assurance that took so many aback when he first burst onto the senior stage. It wasn’t necessarily his divine dribbling that caught the eye, but rather the simple things that he did so well. Mainoo won his duels, shrugging off Dominik Szoboszlai with aplomb in one instance, and got United purring in transition.

Then, it seemed like he and Casemiro were intent on running up the score. The pair were constantly caught ahead of the ball, allowing Liverpool to wreak havoc on the counter whenever Man Utd gave the ball away.

They didn’t learn their lesson at all in the second period, but Mainoo’s positional gamble did pay off when he met Mac Allister’s lazy clearance with a sweet strike from the edge of the Liverpool box to seal Man Utd’s place among Europe’s aristocracy next season.

Extending his stay in Manchester until the 2030s, the once-maligned Mainoo is the present and future of United’s midfield.

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