The perfect Bruno Fernandes. Manchester United player ratings for the match against Liverpool
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
The Devils looked fantastic today! Seriously, this was the best match under Amorim. The team was confident and daring, unafraid to attack and break through Liverpool's pressing, systematically creating chances. This was the Manchester United fans have been waiting for years!
In this match, the typical issues that have plagued the Devils throughout the season were nowhere to be seen. The defense was outstanding: every player contributed, quickly falling back to close off any attacking spaces for Liverpool. In attack, United consistently found themselves near the opponent’s goal, putting Liverpool’s defense under significant pressure.
It’s unfortunate that today’s draw was due to de Ligt’s bad luck — the ball rebounded awkwardly onto Matthijs’ hand. Without this moment, United could have secured a deserved victory.
Best players of the match:
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno was sheer perfection today! His contributions could be listed endlessly.
He excelled in the transition from defense to attack. Positioned just above his penalty area, he had to bring the ball out from under Liverpool's pressing. He handled two, three, even four Liverpool players with ice-cold composure, bypassing them with ease. Bruno was one of the main reasons why Liverpool's pressing failed.
In attack, Bruno unleashed all his creativity, delivering clever, incisive passes. He created four excellent chances for his team, including a beautiful assist to Martínez that resulted in a goal.
Most of United’s play today revolved around him: 88 touches, 58 passes. This is an extraordinary figure, especially for an attacking player, as such involvement typically belongs to defenders or holding midfielders. Bravo, Fernandes!
Lisandro Martínez
As always, Lisandro showcased brilliant defensive skills with 13 defensive actions. But if you watch United’s games, you’ll notice his subtle attacking role: holding the ball to wait for the opposing defensive line to push up before delivering long passes into the inside channels for a player making a run into the box. Today, it was Højlund receiving those passes. While they didn’t lead to direct scoring opportunities, they allowed United to frequently penetrate Liverpool’s penalty area.
Of course, the highlight of Martínez’s performance was his goal, created out of nothing. He intercepted a pass to Salah high up the pitch in Liverpool's third, calmly paused, and played a clever pass. Silently, he snuck behind four players, and Bruno sent a delicate ball over their heads, allowing Martínez to strike with no chance for Alisson.
Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot
The two wing-backs displayed incredible boldness today. Mazraoui effortlessly broke through Liverpool’s pressing, dribbling past their players as if they weren’t even there. At times, it seemed he didn’t notice the pressing at all.
Dalot, on the other hand, showed his audacity in attack — tirelessly working along the flank, pushing forward, and delivering dangerous crosses. That cross to Diallo, which Amad couldn’t finish… what a beautiful goal it could have been! Moreover, Dalot had to defend against Salah. While Salah had a good game, Dalot managed to disrupt several of his moments effectively.
Honorable mention:
Amad Diallo’s goal cannot go unmentioned. Garnacho, who had just come on as a substitute, immediately provided the assist. Rasmus Højlund’s clever movement also deserves credit. He reached the ball first but chose to draw the defender forward, creating space for Diallo, who didn’t disappoint and scored.
A word of praise also goes to André Onana, who delivered a solid and reliable performance in goal.
Player ratings for the match:
- Garnacho A. – 7
- Dalot D. – 8
- Diallo A. – 7
- de Ligt M. – 6
- Zirkzee J. – 7
- Yoro L. – 7
- Maguire H. – 7
- Mazraoui N. – 8
- Martínez L. – 9
- Mainoo K. – 7
- Onana A. – 7
- Ugarte M. – 7
- Fernandes B. – 10
- Højlund R. – 7
