Liverpool took too long to get going against a defensively-minded Manchester United at Anfield.
The reds close the gap on the league leaders but failed to join them having had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
It was perhaps the result that nobody was expecting - Liverpool don't get too many clean sheets but they did today. Loris Karius had very little to do in fact he created his own most dangerous moments when he fired a pass straight out to a United player.
Considering the money outlaid by United this summer and in recent years it seems bizarre that they recorded their lowest ever Premier League possession figure - just 35%. But a combination of Mourinho's tactics, De Gea's shot-stopping and the reds sloppy start all combined to the aid of the stalemate.
Gini Wijanldum wasn't fit - Emre Can replaced him and for large periods of the game he struggled.
Adam Lallana could only make the bench and his replacement Daniel Sturridge was also disappointing.
When Adam Lallana replaced him with 30 minutes to go Liverpool looked almost instantly rejuvenated. It was not the way Sturridge will have hoped to mark his 100th appearance for LFC.
Much pre-match speculation had centered around Mancunian referee Anthony Taylor. By the 44th minute United had committed 14 fouls. It wasn't until their 15th that they finally received their first yellow card to ironic cheers from the Anfield crowd.
They did eventually go on to collect 4 yellow cards.
United were well organised defensively getting men behind the ball when Liverpool attacked and breaking up the interplay between Firmino and Coutinho. When Lallana replaced the ineffective Sturridge the reds had more joy - an extra player in the system alongside Sadio Mane.
Ibrahimovic should have got a header on target early in the second half but he headed across the face of goal.
David De Gea produced two excellent saves to keep his side in it - one from Emre Can inside the box and one from Coutinho, obviously, outside the box.
Coutinho sees a shot tipped wide by David De Gea
But perhaps more impressive was Antonio Valencia's last-gasp tackle on Roberto Firmino inside the area. A goal or a penalty looked the only outcome when the ball was fed to our Brazilian but the Man Utd man produced one of the moments of the match.
At half time Klopp looked furious - and at full time he looked disappointed.
Liverpool fans had wanted more than a point but we are still in the top four and are doing better than many probably predicted when the fixture list was released.
The reds still have areas to improve against these defensively-minded sides coming to Anfield for a point.
Next up for Liverpool - West Brom at home.
I think we should be pleased that Mourihnio had to develop tactics to counter our play, Man U having to combat our team and style of play. It shows how concerned they were, they could not compete playing their normal game, and just shows how far Liverpool have progressed under Klopp. YNWA! 🙂
I thought draw was fair result , Sturridge looks like a fish out of water battling his own demons plus trying to fit into Klopps style , I be amazed if Sturridge is at Anfield nxt season he has to find form and the net soon , we are still work in progress we are looking forward as a team now not backwards unlike our rivals down the M56 they have big problems long may it continue!
It wasn’t a bus but was a £626M truck parked in a box.
What an ancient way of playing.