Manchester United's defensive tactics blunted liverpool's prolific attack as England's two most illustrious teams toughed out a 0-0 draw in the Premier league on Monday.
United manager Jose Mourinho's approach went to plan at Anfield, with liverpool having 65 percent possession but failing to score in a home league game for the first time in exactly 10 months. United was the opponent then, too, but under louis van Gaal.
"I think we controlled the game tactically and emotionally," Mourinho said. "It's not easy to do both things here. The result is acceptable ... A very positive performance."
When liverpool's players did break free of United's fierce pressing, they found David de Gea in fine form, with the Spain goalkeeper producing excellent saves to deny Emre Can and, in particular, Philippe Coutinho in the second half.
liverpool started the league's eighth round of games with the joint-most goals of any team and had scored nine times in its two home matches so far. The hosts improved in the second half, especially after fit-again midfielder Adam lallana came on as a substitute, but were never going to get the three-goal victory that would have put them top.
United stayed in seventh place, five points off the lead.
The 35 percent possession statistic, provided by the Premier league's official stats supplier Opta, was the lowest United has had in a Premier league game since Opta was first used by the league in 2003. Two minutes after leaving his post-match news conference, Mourinho returned to the room and told journalists that United had 42 percent possession, according to his club's stats department.
"Two shots on target with 65 percent of possession, you have to be critical of liverpool," Mourinho had said earlier. "It is their problem, not our problem."