Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool: Coby Mainu has been key to the Red Devils’ turnaround under Michal Carrick and reiterated his importance against Liverpool.
Mainu is at the forefront of Red Devils’ reversal of fortunes (Image: Getty Images)
Koby Mainu’s rehabilitation has been completed. The Manchester United midfielder has put an end to a week he will never forget.
That deal started with him signing a lucrative new contract and ended with his winning goal, sinking rivals Liverpool and securing United a place in next season’s Champions League.
Not bad for someone who wasn’t even in United’s squad the last time these English giants met in the Premier League. In five months, Mainu went from zero to hero. United knew he was, but former manager Ruben Amorim chose to ignore him.
So it felt ironic that it was Mainu who turned up at the Stretford End to settle this thrilling five-goal game at Old Trafford. They came from two points behind and finished off an exciting counterattack from Arne Slott’s men, who were at risk of becoming the ultimate party underdogs.
Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesco burst on in the opening 15 minutes to send United into dreamland. But quick strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai and Kodi Gakpo turned United’s afternoon into a nightmare.
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Until Minoo folded his duck for the season – until he spit out a feather in the slot. United were aiming for a second league title after defeating their fierce rivals for the first time in 10 years.
The last time it happened, Michael Carrick was a United fan standing in the away end of Anfield when Wayne Rooney scored the winning goal. Now here he was trying to mastermind the same feat as his manager.
And while it’s true that these two giants aren’t competing for the title, this latest episode of one of football’s greatest melodramas still meant a lot.
Regardless of the futures of both managers, United could decide to return to the Champions League, while Liverpool could move into third place with a win on their own. United tore apart the visitors from the kick-off and took the lead in less than six minutes.
Mainu’s turnaround under Michael Carrick is eye-catching (Image: Getty Images)
Alexis Mac Allister cleared a corner straight away and Cunha beat Freddie Woodman on his second attempt, but his shot was deflected by the Argentine.
Less than eight minutes later, Woodman again picked the ball out of his own net, but was unable to prevent Sesco from scoring from close range.
Slot fell to the floor as if completely knocked out. United bit on their cries, but Liverpool rolled over for a tickle on their bellies.
Carrick’s rampage was tearing Liverpool to shreds. Bruno Fernandes should have made it 3-0 when he was picked out by Brian Mbeumo, but his shot went wide.
Liverpool have lost 11 games in the Premier League this season (Image: Getty Images)
Ibrahima Konate gave United a chance by turning his foot over himself, but the chance was not capitalized on. However, just 10 minutes into the second half United made two mistakes that turned the game on its head.
A brutal pass from Amad Diallo allowed Szoboszlai to run into the United defense and curl a low shot into the bottom corner. An even worse shot by Senne Lamence from inside his own box gave Gakpo the simplest equaliser.
Moments later, Szoboszlai’s free-kick caused further confusion for the home defence, before Lamence scored a goal off his own line. Casemiro headed straight into the goal when Woodman should have scored.
But all that was quickly forgotten when Mainu charged in from half-clear to score the winning goal with 13 minutes remaining.
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