Cracker in the Premier League
Spectacle in the final phase: United shocks Liverpool
Updated 10/19/2025 – 7:55 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The Premier League classic begins with a very early shock for the hosts. Then a competitive game develops – things get dramatic in the final phase.
Liverpool FC is slipping further and further into a real crisis: In the Premier League classic against arch-rivals Manchester United, the “Reds” suffered a painful 1:2 (0:1) defeat on matchday eight. Across all competitions, it is the fourth defeat in a row for coach Arne Slot’s team.
Bryan Mbeumo (2nd minute) gave the “Red Devils” an early lead at Anfield Road, in a wild final phase Cody Gakpo shook the stadium with his equalizer (78th minute), but the joy was short-lived: six minutes later, Harry Maguire scored to give the guests victory. The game remained fast-paced and exciting until the eight minutes of stoppage time, and both teams had further chances to score. But Liverpool in particular had no luck in finishing despite a temporary power play in the United penalty area.
Liverpool (15 points) fell to third place in the table, United jumped to ninth place with 13 points.
Despite his goal, Gakpo stood emblematic of Liverpool’s usury of opportunities on Sunday evening. The Dutch international failed three times: first he hit the post after a solo effort (21′), then with a deflected cross (33′) and finally after a cross from Mohamed Salah (50′). After falling behind again, he also put a free-standing header next to the goal from close range (87th).
For United, Bruno Fernandes (24th) and Mason Mount (27th) missed good opportunities to extend their lead in the first half. With the substitution of Florian Wirtz, who came into the game alongside ex-Frankfurt player Hugo Ekitiké, Arne Slot focused everything on attack. The reward apparently came from Gakpo’s goal, before which Wirtz had played the penultimate pass. But Harry Maguire struck back for the guests who had long since been deregistered.
United ended a nine-year winless streak at Anfield in their anniversary away game against their arch-rivals; their last away win to date was in Liverpool in 2016. For Wirtz, the wait for his first scorer point continues after the eighth Premier League game.