Mainoo strikes late as Man. United stun Liverpool in five-goal thriller

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Manchester United produced a dramatic late surge to defeat fierce rivals Liverpool 3–2 in a pulsating Premier League encounter decided in the closing stages at Old Trafford.

United struck early, with Matheus Cunha firing home from outside the box in the sixth minute before Benjamin Sesko doubled the advantage in the 14th minute following a goalmouth scramble.

Liverpool responded strongly after the break, as Dominik Szoboszlai pulled one back with a brilliant solo effort just two minutes into the second half, before setting up Cody Gakpo for the equaliser in the 56th minute to level the contest at 2–2.

With momentum swinging in Liverpool’s favour, United regained control late on when Kobbie Mainoo struck from the edge of the box in the 77th minute, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to restore the lead.

Despite late pressure from Liverpool, including attempts from Federico Chiesa and Cody Gakpo, United held firm to secure all three points in front of a crowd of 74,027.

The closing moments saw Diogo Dalot miss a clear chance to extend United’s lead, but it proved inconsequential as the final whistle confirmed a hard-fought victory for the hosts.

The result marks a significant win for United in the Premier League run-in, while Liverpool are left to rue missed opportunities in a fiercely contested encounter.