Liverpool drop first points of season as Adam Lallana rescues late draw against Manchester United
Adam Lallana’s late strike helped Liverpool salvage a point against fierce rivals Manchester United with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
England international Marcus Rashford handed United the lead in the first half, despite Liverpool claims of a foul in the lead-up to the goal.
With time running out, substitute Lallana tapped home from another lethal Andy Robertson cross to ensure the Reds took their share of the spoils.
READ MORE: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hits out at VAR but hails side's resilience after late equaliser
But the result means Jurgen Klopp’s side have dropped their first points of the domestic season, and their first points for 18 Premier League matches, which will give their fellow title contenders a glimmer of hope.
Both teams were forced into changes to their starting line-ups, with Liverpool star Mo Salah missing out on the squad while Marcos Rojo was a late replacement for Axel Tuanzebe, who picked up an injury in the warm up.
Roberto Firmino had the first opportunity from inside the box from Sadio Mane’s flick, but half-volleyed into the top of the Stretford End.
Liverpool, keen to maintain their 100% record, were also next to try their luck through Georginio Wijnaldum - who side-stepped the Red Devils defence but shot straight at David de Gea from the edge of the box.
Scott McTominay threatened to unlock the Premier League’s best defence when he burst through on 25 minutes, only to fire tamely at Allison from 20 yards.
And as United started to build steam, Rashford accelerated into the box but failed to pick out Daniel James at the far post.
The visitors then threatened in a game which ebbed and flowed as Mane, at full stretch, kept the ball in play before setting up Firmino inside the box - only for the Brazilian to be denied by De Gea.
Just two minutes later, though, it was United who had taken the lead. After Victor Lindelof dispossessed Divock Origi, Daniel James sped down the wing and played in a delightful pass to Rashford, who had peeled away from Joel Matip, for a tap-in.
Liverpool players were left livid at the decision, though, claiming Lindelof had fouled Origi - but VAR upheld the on-field decision.
To compound their frustration, Mane thought he had equalised a minute before half-time, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for the Senegal striker’s handball in the lead up.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who replaced Origi on the hour mark, dragged an effort wide from 18 yards but it was United who threatened to double their lead.
After the ball fell kindly for James, a delightful cross-field pass picked out Rashford who cut inside but first narrowly wide of the near post.
Klopp might have been fearing the worst when Fred appeared in the Liverpool box, only for the holding midfielder to lash into the side-netting.
Liverpool, though, pressed as the match went on and United’s resistance was finally felled by another trademark Robertson cross, which squeezed its way to the far post with Lallana lurking.
Oxlade-Chamberlain then threatened to win the match for the visitors in stoppage time, but dragged an effort narrowly wide of De Gea’s post.
The Merseysiders launched an assault on the United defence in a desperate bid to make it nine wins out of nine, but despite a late handball appeal, they could not muster another goal.
But the point meant the visitors and Klopp left Old Trafford without a win in five attempts, but settled for a good point after a below-par performance.
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