5 Things We Learned: Manchester United vs Liverpool

After a very intense and scrappy affair, both teams will be pleased with a point for different reasons. Liverpool will be glad to avoid defeat, but perhaps a little sour that they could not take all three, and Manchester United should be encouraged by the way they got back on level terms and showed mental resilience.

REPORT: [IBRAHIMOVIC RESCUES POINT FOR UNITED]

Here are 5 things we learned from the encounter:

Paul Pogba needs to follow in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s footsteps

Over the course of Manchester United’s 16-game unbeaten run, Pogba has been exemplary in 15 of those. He has dictated the midfield and has put the Red Devils on the front foot. The French midfielder had an incredibly poor game and, in the end, Liverpool’s midfielders outclassed him. It’s easy to forget that Pogba is 23 years old, years away from his peak, and still learning. If there is one player that he mirror in big games, it’s Ibrahimovic.

[MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS]

[MOURINHO FRUSTRATED WITH KLOPP: ‘WE ATTACKED, LIVERPOOL DEFENDED’]

Marouane Fellaini still has a place in the team

Fans constantly get on the Belgian’s back, but no one can deny that he did not prove his worth this afternoon. With only a limited amount of playing time left, Fellaini asserted himself inbetween the twoLiverpool centre-backs brilliantly and asked questions of their aerial ability. When Antonio Valencia’s cross came into the box, Fellaini expertly got the better of his defender and guided his header goalwards. He certainly has his flaws, but he also makes up for them in times like these.

The game has gone soft

When Ander Herrera pulled on Roberto Firmino’s shirt, there was an outcry from Liverpool players, fans and even Jurgen Klopp threw a petty tantrum on the sidelines. Was Firmino through on goal? No. Was it anything more than a bit of gamesmanship from Herrera? No. Herrera, Diego Costa, Granit Xhaka and Eric Dier are all cut from the same cloth; they play on the edge and push the boundaries. It was purely embarrassing from some supporters to make such a big deal out of it. This is Manchester United vs Liverpool for goodness sake. Get over it.

[PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP: UNITED FUELLED BY ZLATAN’S OWN

[IBRAHIMOVIC: WE WERE NOT AT OUR BEST AGAINST LIVERPOOL]

Philippe Coutinho’s welcome return

Coutinho returned to Premier League action from the bench after a long lay-off due to an ankle injury and looked as good as ever. Quick feet, waltzing past players and the ability to find a needle in a haystack with his exceptional passing ability, Liverpool will be relieved that the Brazilian is back. The Reds, who are sitting seven points behind Chelsea, will now want to push on and, with Coutinho’s help, they can now challenge for the title.

Ander Herrera should be Man Utd’s next captain

Every captain has to have a dark side to their game. It has to mean so much to them that they are willing to cross the boundary for the greater good. Herrera has that in his game – he’s a master of the dark arts. You can tell how much the game means to the Spaniard in the way he chases down a player after he loses the ball. The grit, determination and will to go the extra mile is something to be commended and rewarded in captaincy, when the time is right. The midfielder has proved this season that he is one of the most consistent performers in the Manchester United team and never backs down from a dog fight.