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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Tyrone Marshall

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp takes dig at Manchester United

Jurgen Klopp accused Manchester United of using defensive tactics against Liverpool for three years in a row at Old Trafford after his side were held to a 1-1 draw.

The league leaders needed a late Adam Lallana equaliser to salvage a point against United, who had lead through Marcus Rashford's first-half strike.

Klopp hasn't won at Old Trafford in five attempts as Liverpool boss and his side were frustrated for large parts of this game, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side comfortable for much of the afternoon.

Lallana stole in at the back post to equalise five minutes from time but Klopp took aim at United's approach after the game, insisting it was the third time in a row the home side had set out to frustrate Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Last season the two teams played out a goalless draw here, while United won 2-1 in 2017/18 with just over 30% of possession.

"I’m not the person who should be frustrated by United’s style. In the last years they just defend, that’s how it is, it’s no criticism, it’s just a fact," Klopp said after the game.

"When you think United v Liverpool you think both teams attacking, but it’s not. You [United] can’t play against each team like this."

Klopp said his side had been too predictable in the first half and it was critical of the performance in the first 45 minutes. United had set up with a back three but the Liverpool boss said it had been more like a back five which had set out to nullify his side.

He was also disappointed at the failure of VAR to rule out Rashford's opener for a Victor Lindelof foul on Divock Origi in the build-up.

"Pretty much everything went against us, our own performance in the first half as well, but we didn’t get beat and we could have won the game," he said.

"The performance in the first half is not how it should be. It was clear it was easier for United, coming here with a 5-3-2, easy to excite the crowd and we didn’t get the momentum, they had it."

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