Close look at Man Utd’s defensive record against fiercest rivals this season

Manchester United conceded 28 shots for the second-successive Premier League game as they drew 2-2 with Liverpool on Sunday, echoing December’s meeting which somehow finished goalless.

Here, we look at United’s defensive record, with a focus on the clashes against their fiercest rivals.

Liverpool have rained 62 shots on United’s goal in the league this season but have turned that into only two goals and two points as Erik ten Hag’s defence continue to defy statistical likelihood.

Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated December’s Anfield encounter with 34 shots to United’s six but only managed eight on target. Andre Onana saved well from Virgil Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz, but arguably the hosts’ best chance fell to famously-scoreless defender Joe Gomez in the closing stages.

Sunday brough a near repeat of that performance, Liverpool with 28 shots to United’s nine. Again, though, only seven were on target for a total of 15 out of 62 across the two games, scoring only twice with one of those being a Salah penalty.

Throw in another 25 Liverpool attempts in the recent FA Cup tie at Old Trafford – also a 2-2 draw over 90 minutes before United won 4-3 following extra-time – and Liverpool have taken 87 shots in three games against United this season without winning any of them.

Having gone 3-2 up on Chelsea last Thursday when Alejandro Garnacho scored in the 67th minute, United allowed their opponents to have the final 10 shots of a madcap game and paid the price as Cole Palmer scored in the 10th and 11th minutes of stoppage-time to complete his hat-trick and win the game.

Liverpool then had 15 without reply in the first half on Sunday and two early in the second period, meaning United had conceded 27 unanswered shots before