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Manchester United v Liverpool: Premier League – live | Premier League
Key events
28 min At the other end, Wirtz shoots well wide from the edge of the area.
27 min: Great chance for Fernandes!
Liverpool are all over the place every time United counter-attack. Mbeumo runs down the right and clips a flat cross towards Fernandes, who batters it just wide from 12 yards. The bounce made it slightly awkward but he should have scored.
24 min Cody Gakpo, who hit the woodwork about 48 times in the return fixture at Anfield, whacks an excellent curling shot just wide from 25 yards. Lammens may have had it covered but it was a fine effort.
23 min “What has to happen for Mr. Slot to be released?” wonders Jeff Sax.
For him to have not win the Premier League last season?
22 min Konate gets away with a clear foul on Sesko, shoving him off the field and onto the running track. The referee was a fair way behind play because of the speed at which United broke.
20 min Sesko’s goal was his 11th in the Premier League this season, nine of them since the start of 2026.
19 min The match situation is perfect for Man Utd, who can sit deep and hit Liverpool on the break.
Goal given! There’s no conclusive evidence of handball by Sesko so the goal stands.
VAR check ongoing After a longish spell of Liverpool possession, Man Utd broke devastatingly down the right. Fernandes played a marvellous first-time pass/cross to Sesko, whose close-range shot was well saved by Woodman. Sesko. wanted a penalty but I think he just lost his balance slightly.
Either way, play continued and a deep cross from the left was headed back across goal by Fernandes. The diving Woodman tried to palm the ball away but it hit Sesko and rebounded slowly into the net.
Sesko was definitely onside for the goal – but the ball may have brushed his fingers before it hit his chest and rebounded into the net.
GOAL? Man Utd 2-0 Liverpool (Sesko 14)
There will be an offside check, and maybe a check for a penalty if the goal doesn’t count.
In other news, Bournemouth have gone 3-0 ahead against Crystal Palace. The ears of Andoni Iraola’s agent are going to have a busy summer.
9 min Cunha scored winners at Arsenal and Chelsea earlier in the season; he also came off the bench to create the second when they beat Manchester City. His goal today was fortunate, but it also fits the profile.
8 min Gakpo heads wide from Frimpong’s cross, though he was offside.
Mbeumo’s corner was headed away but not out of danger by Robertson. Cunha, lurking on the edge of the area, had a right-foot shot blocked by Gravenberch. The ball rebounded to Cunha, whose mishit left-foot shot took a big deflection off Mac Allister and bounced into the far corner.
GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Liverpool (Cunha 6)
Matheus Cunha, a player who was born for big games, has put United ahead!
6 min United are making the early running. Dalot finds Mbeumo, whose driven cross to the near post is turned behind by Konate.
4 min A teasing cross from Mbeumo just evades Sesko, who leapt between Konate and Jones at the far post. I think he jumped too early.
Just before that, a nervous clearance from Woodman went straight to Mbeumo.
3 min “Who would have predicted at the start of the season that, come matchday 35, United would be in the top four, let alone above Liverpool?” wonders Krishnamoorthy V. “The glorious uncertainty that keeps the game alive.”
Gary Neville?
2 min Liverpool have started with Gakpo on the left and Wirtz and Szoboszlai as a pair of false nines. It’s similar to the formation that worked so well at the Etihad last season.
1 min Dominik Szoboszlai is on kick-off duty for Liverpool, who are kicking from right to left as we watch. Liverpool haev had plenty of recent success at Old Trafford, including a 3-0 win last season and a 5-0 romp in 2021-22.
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“While Mo Salah’s record against Utd truly is startling,” says Ian Copestake, “the four goals Fernando Torres scored in his time are imprinted so deeply they should be measured in cat years.”
How are you measuring Nemanja Vidic’s red cards when Torres terrorised him?
A reminder of the teams
Man Utd (4-2-3-1) Lamments; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko.
Subs: Bayindir, Dorgu, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, Mount, Ugarte, Amad, Zirkzee.
Liverpool (possible 4-2-3-1) Woodman; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo.
Subs: Pecsi, Gomez, Kerkez, Chiesa, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha, Ndiaye, Wright.
Referee Darren England.
Michael Carrick’s pre-match thoughts
We knew [Cunha’s injury] wasn’t a serious one. As a squad we look strong – we’ve got good options to finish the game as well.
We know this is a massive game, regardless of the league table or anything else, and I’ve been close to it for so long. Being in the away end [at Anfield in 2015-16, the last time Man Utd did the double over Liverpool] was a great experience and it gives you a different perspective, but today’s a new game. If we could win today it’ll be big for us.
We want to attack the game as best we can. We started really well [against Brentford] but then we had to manage the game against a good team. Both teams will want to take the ball today – it’ll be a tight game between two even teams.
[On the chance to beat City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool since taking over] It’s not about me. This game’s never been about individuals. I’ve never gone into this game thinking about myself, and I don’t think anyone is in that dressing-room. It’s as big one today for many reasons.
“I shall be watching this match in a pub with no mobile signal,” boasts Matt Dony, “living like it’s 1998. (Except without the curtains haircut and notepad full of bad lyrics.) As I won’t be able to follow the MBM, here are a few emails to cover most eventualities…
“Yes, get in! I never doubted Slot! The early-season Wirtz-scepticism was maddening knee-jerkery! That screamer from 30 yards, he must have a foot like a traction engine!
“Ah well, there’s less shame in losing to this United than Amorim’s rabble. And Fernandes is a quality player who has arguably wasted his best years carrying a sub-standard team.
“A draw feels like a fair result, given their respective positions. And it was a relatively jeopardy-free game, what with Champions League football being almost guaranteed for both.
“Wow, I can’t believe both Manchester clubs have entered voluntary liquidation, and Arsenal have been hit with a 30-point deduction! Did not see any of that coming! Still, we’ll enjoy the title celebrations.”
“Thanks to the Isak injury, yet again Slot is forced to fight fires rather than just manage,” laments Ian Copestake. “Unless it is in January, I hope one day he will be able to say, ‘same team as last year.’”
Now that would be a turn up for the Trent.
Sky Sports reckon Curtis Jones will play right-back for Liverpool with Jeremie Frimpong in midfield. This is how they have the formation.
Liverpool (possible 4-2-3-1) Woodman; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo.
“Without looking, how many times have Liverpool let in two or more goals this season?” writes Virgil van Dijk’s Ghost. “As Richie Benaud would say… Chwenty Choo. An astonishing number of times.”
That’s a statgasm and a half.
Arne Slot’s pre-match thoughts
It’s a fantastic game to be part of, especially if you win.
[On Alexander Isak] After the season we’ve had, nobody can be surprised that we have more injuries. It wasn’t much, but unfortunately it was too much for him to be able to play today.
Injuries can never be an excuse not to perform; we all have to prove ourselves today.
I think one win would probably be enough [to secure Champions League football]. Let’s take it game by game.
Jamie Jackson
It was two years ago that Jamie Carragher offered Casemiro a rather withering piece of advice: “Leave the football before the football leaves you.” Fast forward to this season and the Brazilian’s record for Manchester United reads: nine goals (second only to Benjamin Sesko), two assists, and 2,417 minutes played in 31 starts from a total of 32 appearances, with 13 games finished, including seven of the past nine.
Consider, too, how the January announcement of Casemiro’s departure from United at the end of the current campaign has led to supporters pleading with the 34-year-old to stay, and that Casemiro is again a midfield first-choice for his national team in the buildup to a World Cup.
As ripostes to a pundit advising you to retire go, Casemiro’s has been emphatic, not to mention revealing of a strong character given Carragher’s words, delivered on Monday Night Football following United’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in May 2024, came at a time when Casemiro did indeed appear to be heading for an Old Trafford exit amid a downturn in his performances.
Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth’s brilliant teenage attacker, has just doubled their lead from the penalty spot.
In the early Premier League game at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth lead Crystal Palace 1-0 after half an hour thanks to an own goal from their former player Jefferson Lerma. If it stays like that, Bournemouth will be sixth in the table.
Team news
The fit-again Matheus Cunha replaces Amad Diallo in the only Manchester United change. Liverpool make two enforced changes: Jeremie Frimpong and Ryan Gravenberch come in for the injured pair of Mo Salah and Alexander Isak.
Liverpool have four central midfielders plus Florian Wirtz in their team; please don’t ask me how they will line up.
Man Utd (4-2-3-1) Lamments; Dalot, Maguire, Heaven, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko.
Subs: Bayindir, Dorgu, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, Mount, Ugarte, Amad, Zirkzee.
Liverpool (possible 4-1-4-1) Woodman; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Wirtz; Gakpo.
Subs: Pecsi, Gomez, Kerkez, Chiesa, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha, Ndiaye, Wright.
Referee Darren England.
That said, as Man Utd v Liverpool games go, this feels a bit mid. Both sides have all but qualified for next season’s Champions League, so there isn’t a huge amount riding on this game. The good news for lovers of anticipation is that this remains the biggest rivalry in English football, and the wider context is only ever part of the story. It’s Man Utd v Liverpool for goodness sake!
Preamble
Preamble? It’s Manchester United v Liverpool: there’s your preamble!
From Glasgow to Salford, smaller, unique events are celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.
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Key events
4 mins: Just minutes after scoring, Galarza receives the first yellow card of the match after careening into Yunus Akgun.
2 mins: Matias Galarza was brought into the starting XI for Paraguay and it’s paid off immediately. The midfielder picks up a ball and takes a step into space near the top of Turkey’s penalty area before rocketing a low shot into the bottom corner. Incredible opening moments.
GOAL! Paraguay 1-0 Turkey (Galarza 1)
It’s the fastest goal in the World Cup so far!
Kick-off!
Centre referee Ivan Barton toots his whistle and we’re underway.
And for those keen-eyed viewers who have noticed an unusual amount of hot-pink boots across the World Cup so far, including a bunch of players about to make their way out onto the grass for the anthems, here’s a great yarn from Lauren Cochrane about why.
Plenty of fans are flooding into San Fransisco Bay Area Stadium for today’s final match, which is sitting at a gorgeous 19 degrees C (67 degrees F) and clear skies. A perfect evening for football, which hopefully delivers much more focused and effective performances from both sides compared to their opening games.
Meanwhile, Brazil have held onto their 3-0 lead against Haiti to claim top spot in Group C, though it wasn’t as convincing a performance as what many had hoped from the South American giants against a relative minnow of world football. An injury to Raphinha will be a particular worry.
Matheus Cunha found the back of the net twice in the opening half, and Vinicus Jr made it two in two matches, after which Carlo Ancelotti’s side seemed more focussed on conserving energy and seeing out the clock than finding more goals. It is a decision that may come back to haunt them if goal difference is what separates them from Morocco at the top of Group C.
Sam Lewis
Turkey fans will be thrilled to see their two starlets, Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, starting their first World Cup match together.
Guler, the Real Madrid creative attacking midfielder, was kept largely at bay by Australia’s resolute defence a week ago, but still managed to deliver some sneaky through-balls and find small pockets of space in and around the penalty area. He’s also a free-kick specialist, so Paraguay will need to be careful not to give away too many fouls outside their own area.
Yildiz, meanwhile, made an immediate impact when he came on in the second half against the Socceroos. The Juventus winger added a new dimension to Turkey’s otherwise-muted left-sided attack, isn’t afraid to take on defenders one v one, and delivers some pin-point crosses and cut-backs for teammates to run onto.
With Guler moved into central midfield and Yunus Akgun brought onto the right side, the connection the two 21-year-olds can make could be the difference today.
Sam Lewis
A surprise start for attacker Isidro Pitta, who was so certain he wouldn’t be called up to Paraguay’s squad for the World Cup that he had already booked a holiday to Spain with his family during the tournament.
Nicknamed ‘Viking’ due to his long hair and big ginger beard, he’s found form at Red Bull Bragantino and is described as “a fighter, a tireless worker and a constant nuisance for opposition defences” in the Guardian’s World Cup player guide.
For more information about him, and plenty more fun and quirky facts about the two starting XIs, check out the guide below.
Paraguay XI
Sam Adams
Paraguay have also shuffled a few things around, making two changes from their 4-1 defeat to the USA last week.
Isidro Pitta replaces Antonio Sanabria to partner Enciso up front, while Matias Galarza comes into midfield in place of Damian Bobadilla. Here’s their squad to start today’s match.
Paraguay XI (4-4-2): 12 Gill; 6 Alonso, 3 Alderete, 15 Gomez, 4 Caceres; 10 Almiron, 23 Galarza, 14 Cubas, 8 Gomez; 25 Pitta, 19 Enciso.
Turkey XI
Sam Lewis
Three changes for Turkey following their defeat to Australia.
Juventus star Kenan Yildiz comes into the starting XI alongside right-back Mert Muldur and winger Yunus Akgun, with Orkan Kokcu, Baris Yilmaz, and Zeki Celik benched. Here’s their line-up.
Turkey (4-2-3-1): 23 Cakir, 18 Muldur, 3 Demiral, 14 Bardakci, 20 Kadioglu, 16 Yuksek, 10 Calhanoglu, 19 Akgun, 8 Guler, 11 Yildiz, 7 Akturkoglu.
Sam Lewis
Elsewhere, Brazil are maintaining a comfortable 3-0 lead over Haiti. If they maintain or extend that, they’ll leapfrog Morocco and sit pretty at the top of Group C.
Check out Jonathan Howcroft’s live updates below as we wait for the Turkey and Paraguay line-ups.
Sam Lewis
There are a few players worth keeping an eye on for both sides today.
Despite struggling to break down a resolute Australian defence, Turkey’s Arda Guler continued chipping away with neat little passes and crosses, and always found small pockets to drift into around the penalty area.
Team-mate and elder statesman Hakan Calhanoglu is Turkey’s midfield engine, while winger Kenan Yildiz made an immediate impact when he came off the bench a week ago.
For Paraguay, Julio Enciso was one of their better performers in their loss to the USA on the first match day, assisting the consolation goal from substitute Mauricio in the second half.
Andres Cubas also did his best to hold Paraguay’s shape through midfield, but was regularly overwhelmed by the USA’s press.
There will be a lot for both sides to improve upon today. Let’s see if they can.
Sam Lewis
Here’s a bit more info about where to watch today’s Turkey v Paraguay match thanks to our friend Graham Ruthven, who sets the scene for us below.
Turkey have a point to prove after a shock opening defeat to Australia. Vincenzo Montella’s side struggled to create against a low block and could run into many of the same problems again if Paraguay are able to keep things tight at the back in the way they weren’t against the USA.
Paraguay were powerless to stop the USA running over them in Los Angeles, but have much more to offer if their qualification campaign is anything to go by. Anything less than a draw would all but end their hopes of making it through to the last 32.
Want more on today’s earlier Group D game between co-hosts USA and Australia? Our team in Seattle has you covered.
Sam Lewis
We’re already starting to see the shape of some other groups as match day two continues at the World Cup.
Mexico became the first nation to secure knock-out football after a 1-0 victory over South Korea in Group A.
Canada and Switzerland both recorded wins in Group B to draw level with each other on 4 points apiece.
Finally, Morocco edged past Scotland 1-0 to move to 4 points in Group C, with Brazil currently taking on Haiti to potentially join them there.
If following every game is simply too much for you, the wonderful fellas at Guardian Football Weekly are recording daily wraps for your pleasure – now also in video format!
Sam Lewis
Looking at the group’s permutations, both Turkey and Paraguay will now have Australia squarely in their sights after the Socceroos lost 2-0 to hosts USA earlier today.
A win for either team today will bring them level on points with Australia (3), though exactly where they’ll end up – second or third – will be decided by goal difference.
The USA are all but through to the round of 32 after their comprehensive win, sailing into their third and final group game on six comfy points. Here’s Alexander Abnos on the match:
As John Denver’s Country Roads blared over the Seattle Stadium PA, they celebrated history: a spot in the knockout round secured with a game to spare, two wins to start a World Cup for the first time since 1930, a big moment for a breakout star in goalscorer Alex Freeman, and the continuation of a journey that US Soccer hope will be transformative for the sport in their country.
“We built the victory in our attitude,” Mauricio Pochettino said. “Today, even if I am not American, after the game I was emotional … To connect with the people is what we wanted.”
Preamble
Sam Lewis
Hello friends and welcome to live coverage of Group D’s second match between Turkey and Paraguay. Kick-off at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium is scheduled for 8:00pm local time (11pm EDT/4am BST/1pm AEST).
Both sides come into this crucial clash having lost their opening matches in rather startling fashion. Turkey, favoured by many to top the group, unexpectedly lost 2-0 to Australia, while Paraguay were picked apart by hosts USA 4-1 a week ago.
Neither team was especially convincing in those losses. Turkey’s dominant possession did not translate into convincing chances, creating an average xG of just 0.04 despite having two of the tournament’s most exciting young attackers in Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz.
Paraguay, meanwhile, were defensively shambolic, allowing the USA to have 53 touches in their own penalty area: the second-most behind Curaçao’s destruction at the hands of Germany. They did pull a goal back from their only shot on target, but that glimmer of hope papered over some much deeper cracks.
As a result, each side will be looking to restore a bit of dignity and repair their negative goal difference as the door to the round of 32 slowly closes in front of them. The loser of this match will almost certainly be sent home.
This is the first high-stakes match between Turkey and Paraguay in their history, with their only other meeting coming in a friendly over a decade ago, so it’ll be a match of discovery for both sides as they try to save a bit of face.
I’ll be back with the line-ups shortly, but in the meantime, what did you think of the opening performances of these two sides? Which result shocked you more? And how do you reckon this one will play out? Send me an email at samantha.lewis.freelance@guardian.co.uk
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