Premier League: Late Maguire header gives Manchester United rare victory over Liverpool

Liverpool slumped to a fourth successive defeat for the first time in 11 years as Manchester United won 2-1 on Sunday to end a nearly decade-long wait for victory at Anfield.

Harry Maguire’s 84th-minute header secured back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time in Ruben Amorim’s tenure as United boss.

Twelve minutes before the end, Cody Gakpo had canceled out Bryan Mbeumo’s opener after 61 seconds.

The defeat leaves Liverpool four points behind Arsenal at the top of the table and Arne Slot is still looking for answers on how to get the right mix after spending almost £450 million ($604 million) on new players in the transfer market.

United are almost two points behind their historic rivals and climbed to ninth in the table, easing the pressure on Amorim after his biggest win in almost a year in charge.

Liverpool had lost just one of the previous 14 Premier League meetings between the sides and United had not tasted victory at Anfield since the early days of Jurgen Klopp’s reign in January 2016.

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However, the Reds are in a state of flux following the transformation of the squad that stormed to the title last season and the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in July.

After suffering three straight defeats for the first time in Slot’s reign, Liverpool could hardly have imagined a worse start.

Mbeumo raced past Virgil van Dijk with ease before firing past Giorgi Mamardashvili after just a minute through Amad Diallo’s pass.

The home side and supporters were furious that play was not stopped in the build-up after Alexis Mac Allister went down with a head injury inflicted by his own captain Van Dijk.

Slot left £100m behind to sign Florian Wirtz on the bench for a second successive game as he searched in vain for the right balance between defense and attack.

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Gakpo should have equalized for the defending champions when he hit the post from Mohamed Salah’s through ball in Liverpool’s only fluid move of the first half.

However, it was United who should have been further ahead by half-time.

Bruno Fernandes missed a glorious opportunity to double the Red Devils’ lead when he hit the outside of the post while not being marked from the edge of the penalty area.

At the other end, Senne Lammens was rarely in trouble in the opening 45 minutes but produced a big save when called on to deny Alexander Isak his first Premier League goal since joining Liverpool for a British transfer record £125 million.

Gakpo’s cross then came back off the post and the Dutchman rattled the woodwork for the third time early in the second half.

Slot turned to his almost £200 million worth of forward options from the bench as Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike were introduced on the hour mark to join Salah, Gakpo and Isak in a five-man attack.

Salah has scored more goals than any other player in this match, but his lack of form was reflected in a wild finish where he went wide with only Lammens to beat at the back post.

Liverpool’s wealth of attacking talent finally broke the door open when Federico Chiesa, who had replaced Isak moments earlier, tapped in a low cross that Gakpo converted from point-blank range.

Yet defensive weakness meant the parity lasted just six minutes as Maguire was left unmarked and headed in Fernandes’ running cross.

Gakpo should have rescued another point when he headed wide and the goal was gaped by Jeremy Frimpong’s inviting ball.

But Liverpool suffered their first league defeat at Anfield in more than a year, dealing another blow to their hopes of taking over United with a record 21st English top-flight title.

Published on October 19, 2025