As can so often happen when a game is hyped, this one completely failed to live up to its billing. Liverpool took a long time to get going, and by the time they did, Manchester United had set up camp in their own half with 10 players behind the ball. The Reds at least tried to force the issue, but in truth, neither side looked like they had a winning goal in them, and the 90 minutes ended with a 0-0 scoreline.
A first clean sheet of the season will hopefully go some way toward establishing some much-needed defensive stability.
Negatives
The first-half performance was sloppy and tentative. Jurgen Klopp cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, as too often his players stood off in midfield, rather than applying pressure to the man on the ball. Things improved in the second half, especially after the introduction of Adam Lallana, but the Reds never really looked like themselves.
Manager rating
Jurgen Klopp, 6 out of 10 -- With Georginio Wijnaldum ruled out and Lallana deemed fit enough for only a place on the bench, Klopp elected to bring Emre Can and Daniel Sturridge into the lineup. They were the obvious choices, but neither performed well. Things livened up when Lallana was introduced, and perhaps Klopp could have given Divock Origi more than five minutes to make an impression.
Player ratings (1-10, with 10 the best. Players introduced after 70 minutes not rated.)
GK Loris Karius, 5 -- The German had almost nothing to do but still managed to look unconvincing, specifically when playing his defence into trouble with risky passes.
DF Nathaniel Clyne, 7 -- He defended stoutly when required, though Ashley Young's role seemed to be more about protecting his full-back than causing problems to the Liverpool defence. He tried to join in the attack where possible but found space hard to come by.
DF Joel Matip, 7 -- This was a solid performance against Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Matip wasn't tested much but was up to whatever was required. He looked comfortable in possession and rarely wasted a pass.
DF Dejan Lovren, 7 -- Lovren was much the same as Matip, though he made a couple timely interventions from dangerous-looking crosses by Antonio Valencia in the second half.
DF James Milner, 8 -- United might have felt they could use the pace of Marcus Rashford to get at Milner, but the youngster got little change out of the veteran. Milner often does the job of two players on that left side, and he made his presence felt at both ends of the pitch before he was forced off after playing on through two heavy knocks picked up while attacking.