Wayne Rooney’s late strike settled a scrappy encounter to give Manchester United and manager Louis van Gaal a vital victory at Liverpool.
In a game that was a pale shadow of previous meetings between these two Premier League superpowers, Liverpool had the better chances and United keeper David de Gea kept his side in it with fine saves from Adam Lallana and Emre Can.
Jurgen Klopp’s side wasted other opportunities and paid the price 12 minutes from time when Rooney fired United’s first shot on target high past Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet after Marouane Fellaini’s header came back off the bar.
Van Gaal’s position had been under scrutiny after only two wins in United’s previous 11 games – but victory at Anfield is the perfect tonic and his team are now in fifth, just two points off the Champions League places.