Agencies
London, December 14
Liverpool had a nightmare at the Theatre of Dreams as Manchester United beat them 3-0 in the Premier League. Brendan Rodgers’ side came up against a Red Devils side who haven’t impressed, despite notching up five consecutive wins, but his much-changed line-up, which included goalkeeper Brad Jones taking to the field in place of Simon Mignolet, failed to find a way past the outstanding David De Gea.
Their profligacy at Old Trafford allowed Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie to strike and prolong the Merseyside outfit's miserable run of form.
Sloppy passes littered the game as the hosts struggled to make their possession tell against timid looking Liverpool who lacked a cutting edge in the final third, which was evident when Raheem Sterling scuffed a shot at De Gea after some masterful play from Adam Lallana and mere seconds later the visitors paid for the miss.
Antonio Valencia scampered down the right flank but despite appearing outnumbered he nutmegged Joe Allen and his low ball to the edge of the penalty area was slammed home by Rooney. It was a strike so well disguised that Brad Jones could only dive despairingly the wrong way as the net billowed.
De Gea has proved once again why he is such an important figure for Van Gaal as he tipped a fierce low strike from Sterling wide of his near post and there was more woe for Liverpool as Glen Johnson was forced off the pitch through injury and replaced by Kolo Toure with just 26 minutes gone.
Allen received a caution of his own when he decided to end a Valencia run early and Jonny Evans provoked the same reaction from referee Martin Atkinson when he felled Philippe Coutinho.
The game was certainly disjointed but when it mattered most Juan Mata headed home an Ashley Young cross to the far post five minutes before the break to double Manchester United’s lead, although it appeared the Spaniard was offside following Robin van Persie’s flick on.
Rooney was soon in Atkinson’s book too as he stopped Coutinho in his tracks illegally, while Sterling kept De Gea’s gloves warm with a tame header.
With Brendan Rodgers looking to change the game he threw on Mario Balotelli in place of Lallana at half-time, and four minutes into the second period Sterling had another excellent opportunity in front of goal but he saw a shot saved when Michael Carrick’s backpass left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
A Balotelli free-kick from range then hit the wall as the Reds penned their opponents back but on the counter Van Persie’s snapshot went a yard wide of the upright.
If it wasn’t for the class of De Gea Liverpool could have been on level terms at least, but he produced another quality save, this time from Balotelli, who looked bright, pawing a strike onto the crossbar.
And with 19 minutes to go Rodgers’ nightmare at the Theatre of Dreams got even worse as Dejan Lovren gave the ball to Mata 20 yards out and the Spaniard was able to play in Van Persie who, in acres of space, was able to finish with ease past Jones.
Jones did then do well to deny Van Persie with the Dutchman clean through but by then the damage had already been done and De Gea was left to repel further chances.
Balotelli’s movement and positioning in front of goal, but not his finishing, will certainly have given Rodgers some encouragement as it was only the Spanish shot-stopper who denied him his first Premier League goal for the Reds.
At the other end Jones did show some quality between the sticks when he gloved an audacious lobbed effort from Van Persie over the top, but it was his earlier mistakes, and his opposite number's brilliance, which will make the headlines.
The defeat, Liverpool’s seventh of the campaign so far, leaves Liverpool languishing in midtable.
