Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United: Stalemate at Anfield as David de Gea pulls of stunning save to ensure Jose Mourinho's men leave with a point

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Jose did what Jose does. And Jose got what Jose wanted.

Neither historical precedents nor special occasions will move Mourinho from a preordained strategy. The United manager's sarcastic suggestion that he would start with nine forwards and just one defender at Anfield unsurprisingly did not happen. A point was what he needed and that was what he took home.

It was Jurgen Klopp, two years into his Liverpool tenure and facing questions after one win now in eight games, who had to show us what he has. The onus was on him, or rather, that is how Mourinho wanted the game to be defined. 

Joel Matip forced a stunning save from David De Gea who used his legs to deny the defender with quick reflexes

The Spanish goalkeeper instinctively stuck out a foot to turn Matip's effort away before Salah fired the rebound wide

The first chance of the second half fell to Emre Can but the German midfielder could not find the target with his shot

Lukaku shows his frustration during what was an afternoon when little went right for the big Belgian striker

Jurgen Klopp, Jordan Henderson and Simon Mignolet leave the pitch, disappointed they couldn't secure all three points

MATCH FACTS, LEAGUE TABLE, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE 

Liverpool: Mignolet 6.5, Gomez 7, Matip 6.5, Lovren 7.5, Moreno 7, Wijnaldum 7, Henderson 7.5, Can 6.5, Salah 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 78, 6), Firmino 6 (Solanke 87), Coutinho 6.5 (Sturridge 78, 5) 

Subs not used: Karius, Milner, Klavan, Alexander-Arnold

Manchester United: De Gea 8, Valencia 7, Smalling 7, Jones 7.5, Darmian 7, Herrera 7, Matic 6, Young 6.5 (Lindelof 90+2), Mkhitaryan 5 (Lingard 62, 5), Martial 5 (Rashford 65, 5), Lukaku 5

Subs not used: Mata, Blind, Romero, Tuanzebe

Yellow cards: Smalling, Young

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) 

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It was a tough afternoon for Romelu Lukaku who saw very little of the ball near the Liverpool goal. More stats and maps with Match Zone

 

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Football's oldest law says that it is easier to contain than create. Mourinho knows it. Perhaps not to the extent that his fiercest critics would contend. Lest we forget his Real Madrid team were record goalscorers in La Liga and his Chelsea side magnificent at times.

But right now, he does not need that show. The flair associated with the United of old can be saved for the festivals against the likes of West Ham, Swansea, Everton and Crystal Palace. Liverpool away, without Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini, apparently requires a different plan.

And, as Mourinho famously once claimed at this ground before, he is not about to play the part of the clown at the circus. The hoopla and excitement of this fixture, you suspect, move him not a jot. His eye is on bigger prizes.

Not that we did not have all the ingredients of England's most formidable football clash. Crowds thronged outside from breakfast time in anticipation of something special. Anfield roared for Kenny Dalglish in celebration of the stand newly named after him and the knot of United fans in the corner shouted defiance. 

Liverpool renamed the Centenary Stand at Anfield in honour of club legend Kenny Dalglish this week

Dalglish, who played for and managed Liverpool with distinction, was presented to the Anfield crowd before kick-off

There was an embrace between Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho on the touchline before the battle began at Anfield

Nemanja Matic put in a thundering tackle on Philippe Coutinho as the tone was set in the early stages of the contest

Antonio Valencia, the Manchester United captain, plays the ball down the line under pressure from Liverpool's Coutinho

Georginio Wijnaldum curls a shot towards goal but the effort from the Dutchman was easily saved by De Gea

This remodelled stadium is now a fitting stage and at times that din was intoxicating. Yet frankly, the game itself struggled to match the atmosphere, which is fast becoming the star of these ultimately disappointing shows. Mourinho tried to argue that it was more a question of perception. 

'It depends what for you is an entertaining game,' he said. 'One thing is an entertaining game for fans and another thing is an entertaining game for people who read football in a different way. For me, second half, was a bit like chess.

'He [Klopp] was having control and I was waiting for him to bring Daniel Sturridge and Dominic Solanke but keep on his attacking players. But he kept that strong midfield and that midfield was stronger than mine. I had Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic and no one else to make it different.

'I know you probably think we were defensive and they were offensive. Well, you are at home and you don't move anything? I was waiting for that. I think he did well, honestly. Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford came on and were waiting for the game to be broken and the game was never broken.' 

Coutinho saw plenty of the ball during the opening 20 minutes - here he is challenged by Ander Herrera

Sir Alex Ferguson was involved in many high profile games between Manchester United and Liverpool and took in this one

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was the dangerman early on, causing problems for United defenders including Phil Jones

Alberto Moreno went flying over a challenge by Ashley Young as the two No 18s came together in midfield

 Matic fires a shot towards goal from outside the box, as Wijnaldum turns his back, but he was unable to find the net

The half ended with the home fans calling for a card after Romelu Lukaku clashed with Dejan Lovren

Lovren rolled on the turf in pain following the clash with Lukaku but the Belgian striker did not face any action from the referee

And as for the suggestion he lacked ambition? 'That's your idea, that's your analysis.'

Klopp was as breezily optimistic as he can be in such situations. 'The boys performed again. We protected our offensive situation perfectly against one of the best counter-attacking teams in the world. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, if you don't protect him, he runs from here and back to Manchester with the ball.

'Was it perfect? Probably not or we would have won. We had the big chance and maybe should have had a penalty. How big a result do you want against Manchester United? They defended with nine men in and around the box. I don't judge this but it makes our job a little more difficult.

'Could we do better? Maybe, yes. But is it likely you do a lot better in this game? I don't think so. For me, a team who can become champions were in our stadium today and it's not a world apart from us. It's not that we're on different planets.'

But philosophically would he do what Mourinho had. 'Oh, that's nice question,' said Klopp. 'If I say, 'No' people will say I don't want to win anything. If I say, 'Yes' then people are afraid…' he said before moving the conversation swiftly on. 

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was working at the game for Dutch television and greeted the fans

Mourinho shook the hand of a United fan who threw the ball away from him after he asked for it back

The penalty he claimed was when Herrera felled Philippe Coutinho in the 20th minute. He also suggested that Romelu Lukaku might have been sent off for a clash with Dejan Lovren. Both were optimistic judgments.

At times, Liverpool did threaten. Principally that moment in the 36th minute when Roberto Firmino produced a dummy which left Matic bewildered. The Brazilian's cross found Joel Matip six yards out, he shot and David de Gea saved brilliantly and instinctively, while Mohamed Salah fired the rebound wastefully wide.

In such moments you could question whether Mourinho places too much faith in his own ability to contain and control a contest. You always run that risk of being undone by a moment of genius. But those moments were few and far between. United starting with Ashley Young at right wing rather than left-back was a clear indication of where the game was heading.

That said, United, with little more than a wayward Matic shot to show for their first half, still almost went into the break ahead. Mkhitaryan played in Lukaku, who hit it first time, forcing a fine save.

After the break, Mourinho's strategy received a more thorough interrogation. Firmino's strike set both the side netting fluttering; Joe Gomez lifted a ball into the box for Emre Can, which he directed over the bar and Salah was the breadth of stud away from connecting with a Firmino cross.

By now Lingard and Rashford had joined the fray. Liverpool introduced Sturridge and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 78th minute but to no avail. What had been preordained by Mourinho came to pass. It was not pretty but part of you could not help but admire the predictability.

Valencia stepped in to turn the ball away from Coutinho as he looked to cross the ball into the United box

Mkhitaryan is challenged by Liverpool men Can and Wijnaldum as the two teams continue to battle for superiority 

Klopp lets out a roar as he urges his side on to try and secure victory in the closing minutes of the clash at Anfield