Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool: Player ratings

Player ratings for Manchester United in their 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield

Manchester United clinched a narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. The Red Devils were on the back foot for much of the match, but came up with a winner in the late stages of the game.

Louis van Gaal selected the same starting eleven that faced Newcastle United on Wednesday. Manchester United moved to fifth position, two points off fourth place Tottenham Hotspurs. Here’s a look at how the Red Devils performed in the derby.

David De Gea (9/10)

The Spaniard was at his best at Anfield. He made a crucial save in the second half against Emre Can to deny the German scoring from a tight angle. The Spanish international made another save off a long range shot from Can and also recovered well to punch away the rebound from Roberto Firmino. De Gea’s distribution was also impressive, as he reached Wayne Rooney with most of his goalkicks.

Matteo Darmian (7/10)

A very shaky start for Darmian in the match. James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne were able to beat the Italian to create chances for Liverpool. He was shifted to right back at the stroke of half time due to Ashley Young’s injury and he looked settled there. He defended well and made some darting runs ahead to support the attack in the final third.

Daley Blind (7/10)

The Dutch international had a decent game, coming off the defensive line frequently to win the ball and start an attack. He dealt with the threat of Firmino very well with clever interceptions. His distribution was a bit sub-par compared to his standards, as he was unable to find the forwards with precision.

Chris Smalling (7/10)

Smalling started the match on a bad note after a poor performance at Saint James Park on Tuesday, but the English defender grew into the game and stamped his authority at the heart of defense. He won crucial headers to disrupt Liverpool’s attack, though his distribution was pretty poor and often resulted in loss of possession.

Ashley Young (6/10)

Young was enduring an average performance before getting substituted for a injury. The winger did his job well defensively, but he was very disappointing while going forward. He was losing the ball in the final third, making the team vulnerable to counterattacks.

Morgan Schneiderlin (6/10)

A poor performance from the defensive midfielder. He was caught out of position and lost the ball frequently. He was unable to provide the required shielding the back four needed against the pressing game of Liverpool. A performance to forget for the Frenchman.

Maraoune Fellaini (6/10)

The lanky Belgian was selected again due to injuries to Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Fellaini was very careless on the ball and stationary off it. He was good defensively as he made the most clearances and won all his aerial duels. Additionally, he was key in the build up of the goal as it was his attempt which hit the crossbar and fell at the feet of Wayne Rooney.

Anthony Martial (7/10)

The 20-year-old forward was quiet for most of the first half as he was isolated on the left flank, but he came to life in the second half and tried to be more direct in the final third. He almost broke the deadlock as his drive was just inches away from the goal. The French international also did his defensive duties very well when Liverpool were attacking.

Ander Herrera (6/10)

A disappointing outing for the Spaniard. The midfielder was a passenger in the first half, often losing the ball while initiating a counter attack. He improved in the second half and was more creative in the final third. He was very good while defending and made some good tackles to win the ball.

Jesse Lingard (6/10)

After scoring his second goal for Manchester United against Newcastle, Lingard had a quiet afternoon at Anfield. He was unable to find Rooney with his passes and his linkup play with the right-back was poor. He was eventually substituted for an average performance just after the hour mark.

Wayne Rooney (8/10)

The goalscoring run continued for the Manchester United captain. Rooney made good runs between Liverpool’s defensive line but his teammates could not spot them. His goal was the result of a good finish from a close range, and with the goal he went past Thierry Henry’s record of most Premier League goals for a single club. A decent performance from the captain.

Next: Rooney leads Manchester United to victory

Substitutes :

Cameron Brothwick Jackson (7/10)

A very composed performance by the teenager. He defended well and also supported Martial while going forward.

Juan Mata (7/10)

The Spaniard brought a calmness in the final third for the Red Devils. He delivered a very good cross for the build up of goal.