Real show of grit in snow, slush and ice

WE have become accustomed to seeing slumped shoulders, heads bowed and no communication when United concede. At Anfield, it was different.

- SAMUEL LUCKHURST

After Mohamed Salah made it 2-1, Bruno Fernandes collectively addressed his team-mates and preached calm. He then held a constructive conflab with Diogo Dalot, aware of how gettable Trent Alexander-Arnold was. All 11 United players stuck their chests out. Harry Maguire vented at the referee again.

Ruben Amorim is often right and said afterwards United's performance boiled down to mentality.

Their body language immediately after Salah converted his penalty was becoming of a United side.

That defeatist air about them had gone when defeat seemed likely.

Ten minutes later, the Reds equalised. Then they strove for a winner.

There were hands on hips and hands on heads at full-time. For United to be disappointed not to have won at Anfield is the desired mentality.

Matches have been postponed with tamer conditions outside. The snow, slush and ice made for a treacherous passage through Stanley Park. Liverpool had a match called off on the blue side of the park last month and did not want another.

Perhaps they were convinced it was a question of how many they would win by. With roads gritted, United showed grit. It was comfortably their finest performance on Amorim's watch and their best at Anfield since March 2015.