Manchester United captain, Wayne Rooney, pounced to score a 78th-minute winner as his side stunned eternal rivals Liverpool with a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory at a freezing Anfield on Sunday.
Presiding over his first game against United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp watched his team dominate, but Rooney punished their profligacy with his fifth goal in four games, a close range snapshot after Marouane Fellaini had hit the bar.
It was United’s first shot on target, but it was enough to give visiting manager Louis van Gaal his fourth win over Liverpool in four games and a first away victory since the 2-1 success at Watford on November 21.
Victory took United to within two points of the Champions League places and allowed them to reclaim fifth place from West Ham United, leaving Liverpool six points back in ninth place, their top-four hopes fading.
They may be England’s two most decorated clubs, but Liverpool and United are not this season’s leading contenders and a scrappy, shapeless first half reflected both clubs’ recent difficulties.
Both teams had drawn 3-3 on their previous outings – Liverpool at home to Arsenal, United at Newcastle United – but there was to be no frenzied attacking to warm the 43,865 shivering souls at Anfield.
What quality football there was came chiefly from Liverpool and, in particular, Roberto Firmino, preferred once again to Christian Benteke as the nominal frontman.
He was involved in two early chances, first drilling narrowly wide after Jordan Henderson, freed by Lucas Leiva, had seen a header palmed away by the outrushing David de Gea and then releasing James Milner to slice wide with a fine, half-volleyed pass.
