Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by rivals Manchester United in Sunday's massive Premier League meeting as the Reds failed to win for the fourth league game running. Here, we look at five observations from the stalemate at Anfield...
Henderson's performance at centre-back
As touched upon on Edge of the Box this week, Liverpool's young centre-back options either don't suit the style of play or don't instil confidence at the back. And with Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez ruled out, Jurgen Klopp elected to use Jordan Henderson at the heart of the defence alongside Fabinho.
It wasn't exactly a baptism of fire for Henderson, who'd operated at centre-back against Fulham and Southampton, but further reinforced Klopp's defensive woes. The Reds captain didn't disappoint as he returned a WhoScored rating of 6.97 and while he left more of the physical work to teammate Fabinho, it was Henderson's distribution that allowed Liverpool to play out from the back with ease. Only Thiago (83) made more accurate passes than Henderson (78) and while the Merseyside powerhouse missed their skipper in the middle of the park, Klopp's decision to use the 30-year-old at the back certainly didn't backfire.
Solskjaer justified by his decision to play Lindelof over Bailly
Eric Bailly has forged a fine centre-back partnership with Harry Maguire at the heart of the Manchester United defence and, as explained on Edge of the Box, the duo compliment one another perfectly. Many a United fan believes that Bailly and Maguire is the ideal duo at the heart of the defence, which is why it was a surprise to see Victor Lindelof start at Anfield and Bailly feature from the bench against Liverpool.
The Swede is a favourite of head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, so it explains his inclusion in the XI, and Lindelof repaid the faith shown in him by his boss in an assured performance at the back. Indeed, the defender earned a WhoScored rating of 7.17 on Merseyside, marking his third best in a Premier League shirt this season, as United held the Premier League's top scorers.
Shaqiri's first start in over a year
Jurgen Klopp sprung a selection surprise by bringing Xherdan Shaqiri into the first team fold. The Swiss star has found playing time hard to come by through a combination of injury and dropping down the pecking order. However, rather than use Curtis Jones or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the middle of the park, Klopp selected Shaqiri, who made his league start since a 2-0 win over Watford in December 2019.
Yet Shaqiri's performance wasn't one that suggested he warrants a longer run in the first team. The Switzerland international showed glimpses of quality in the opening exchanges, but struggled to impose himself on the game as he earned a lower WhoScored rating (6.34) than any other Liverpool starter in the draw.
Thiago's superb home debut
The arrival of Thiago over the summer certainly caused excitement among the Liverpool faithful and rightly so. The Spaniard established himself as one of the most exciting midfielders in Europe with Bayern Munich and his capture was a huge statement of intent. Yet injuries have restricted his impact for the Reds, so much so that today's welcome of Manchester United marked his first home appearance.
🧠 Thiago made 7⃣ interceptions in Liverpool's 0-0 draw with Manchester United - No player has made more in a Premier League match this season pic.twitter.com/CJMDV6j1X5
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 17, 2021
Thiago didn't disappoint in midfield as he dictated play with ease. No player created more chances than the Spaniard (2) in the stalemate, while his 83 accurate passes was more than any other player. He drove forward with purpose, completing five dribbles, and defended well, making seven interceptions; no player has made more in a Premier League match this season. All in all, Thiago was deserving of the man of the match award as he came away from the clash with a WhoScored rating of 8.60
Liverpool's faltering frontline
Liverpool are the top scorers in the Premier League this season, hitting the back of the net 37 times, but since a 7-0 win over Crystal Palace, the defending champions have scored just once. Liverpool have now failed to win their last four matches, drawing three and losing one, and have mustered a whopping 62 shots in that period; only two teams have had more.
The trio of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah may be one of the most feared in football, but the absence of Diogo Jota is beginning to harm Liverpool more than many expected. It's a concern for Klopp, who needs to get his frontline back and firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later as he can't afford to wait for Jota's return to reignite a stagnant attack.
