The Double Red Club once again staged a classic comeback, Liverpool lost four consecutive games and was in crisis

The Anfield Stadium scoreboard was frozen at 1-2, with the Manchester United players hugging each other in celebration and the Liverpool players standing blankly, which was the most dramatic moment in the 8th round of the Premier League. The fierce battle that lasted 93 minutes saw Mbemo's blitz in the opening 62 seconds, Gakpo's misfortune in hitting the post three times, and Maguire's header in the 84th minute. When the final whistle blew, Liverpool suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions, and the gap with the top spot widened to 4 points. The reversal gene that they were once proud of seemed to be dissipating with the decline.

Lightning start and struggle with steel defense

The moment B Fee sent a precise long pass near the center circle, Manchester United's tactical intention was undoubtedly revealed. Ahmad penetrated the defense with a diagonal pass from the right, and Mbemo's calm push in the penalty area created the fastest goal in the Premier League this season. This 62-second flash goal not only broke Liverpool's record of 6 consecutive home games against Manchester United, but also put Klopp's team's central defender combination under the spotlight - Van Dijk and Konate's aerial error in the combined defense directly led to goalkeeper Mamadashvili being exposed to a single threat. In the absence of Rashford, Manchester United's anti-counterattack tactics relied on the fast combination of frontcourt to show amazing efficiency.

Curse of the crossbar and lost frontline

When Gakpo's header in the 14th minute hit the crossbar hard, the sighs from the Anfield stands started a cycle of doom for Liverpool. The Dutch forward's unconventional statistics of hitting the post three times in the entire game reflect the collective confusion of the Red Army's front line. The efficiency of Isaac, the 145 million bidder, with 1 goal in 7 games was in stark contrast to Wirtz's 11 games without a goal. Although Salah sent 5 key passes, his shot at the empty goal before the end was missed, completely ruining any hope of tying the score. The offensive system that Klopp is proud of suddenly fell into a vicious circle of winning without scoring after the crazy six-game winning streak at the beginning of the season.

The Red Devils' iron-blooded and tactical game

Ten Hag's on-the-spot adjustments became the winner. When Manchester United was besieged by Liverpool in the second half, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro's appearance stabilized the midfield barrier. Maguire's winning header from B Fee's cross is not only a reflection of the England central defender's self-redemption, but also the result of Manchester United's well-designed set-piece tactics. The Red Devils only had 4 shots on target and converted 2 goals, which was in sharp contrast to Liverpool's 12 misses. This victory brings Manchester United to 4 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses in the devilish schedule, just 2 points away from the top four.

The numbers on the standings are cold and cruel: Liverpool slipped from the top to fourth, while Manchester United climbed to ninth but regained hope of competing for the fourth place. For Klopp, the shadow of four consecutive defeats lurks a deeper crisis - the acclimatization of high-priced signings, the lack of concentration on the defensive line, and the erosion of mental toughness in key battles. When Anfield is no longer an invincible fortress, the Red Army urgently needs to find a way to break the situation on the tactical board and in the dressing room. And this dramatic double red meeting may become an important turning point in the season.