Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes (far left) scores a free-kick during The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday night.
A scream from Andy Robertson was a forlorn attempt to distract Mason Greenwood beginning Manchester United's comeback. The defender won't be the only one shrieking at Liverpool after going out of the FA Cup.
Not that everything went wrong for Liverpool, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice. The Liverpool striker's opener was canceled out by Greenwood and he leveled after Marcus Rashford put United in front. But Bruno Fernandes bent in a free kick in the 78th minute to send United into the fifth round with a 3-2 victory on Sunday.
Losing compounded a miserable 70 hours that also saw Liverpool beaten at home by Burnley on Thursday in a further blow to its title defense. It was a 0-0 draw with United a week ago that helped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side stay top of the standings in the pursuit of the team's first Premier League title since 2013.
“We have to sort it together and that’s what we will do,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said.
The excitement lacking in the Anfield league encounter was on show a week later at a freezing and fan-free Old Trafford with the highest scoring match between these fiercest of English rivals since 2010.
United was joined by Chelsea, Everton, Leicester and Burnley on Sunday in advancing to the round of 16 where it will play West Ham next month.
“We gradually layer by layer are getting better and better and winning tight games,” Solskjaer said. "So the morale and the confidence of course is very good.”
Liverpool has gone 483 minutes without a league goal but remembered where the net is in the cup. Roberto Firmino thread a pass to Salah who lifted a shot over Dean Henderson from close range in the 18th minute.
But the lead lasted only six minutes. Paul Pogba’s tackle gained possession, Donny van de Beek released Rashford on the left flank by the halfway line and a diagonal pass landed perfectly at the feet of Greenwood, who withstood the yelling of Robertson to maintain his composure to score.
The favor was returned three minutes into the second half.
Greenwood played in Rashford through the center and and the striker placed the ball in bottom corner for his 15th goal in all competitions this season.
But United was made to pay for its slackness.
A sideways pass from Edinson Cavani was too casual and was intercepted by James Milner. After passing to Firmino on the left of the penalty area, Milner was inside the box as the return pass came across. But Milner’s stepover let the ball roll through to Salah who squeezed a shot through Henderson’s legs.
The introduction of Fernandes was transformative — as so often since he arrived a year ago. Presented with a chance to grab a winner from a free kick, the Portugal midfielder seized it, bending the ball around the wall into the net.
(With inputs from AP.)
