This poor game was not as out of keeping with the history of the fixture as some people may think. Games between the two most successful clubs in English football have not often been classics.
Still, this was an afternoon to encourage only Manchester United. Erik ten Hag’s players answered some of the questions facing them beforehand. They were committed, organised and they worked desperately hard. They deserved a point even if it was, from the outset, the very ceiling of their ambition.
As for Liverpool, question marks hover.