Man Utd 2-1 Liverpool: Twitter reacts as Erik ten Hag earns first win

Ten Hag triumphed over Klopp
Ten Hag triumphed over Klopp / Michael Regan/GettyImages
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Manchester United's gruesome start to the season finally came to an end as they earned a brilliant 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Liverpool on Monday night.

Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford had Red Devils supporters in dreamland with a 2-0 lead over a Liverpool side that just never got going despite Mohamed Salah's consolation in the second half.

Here's how the action unfurled on Monday night.


Maguire and Ronaldo dropped

Perhaps the biggest decision manager Erik ten Hag made was to drop Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo from his starting XI.

Both players have been criticised for poor performances in recent weeks. Raphael Varane joined Lisandro Martinez in defence, while Anthony Elanga started in attack.


Sancho puts United ahead

With most neutrals expecting a Liverpool victory going off previous results - they won the two games by an aggregate of 9-0 last season - United made a surprisingly fast start.

Elanga first hit the post to send Liverpool a warning shot, but it wasn't heeded and some neat build-up play between Elanga and Christian Eriksen ended with Jadon Sancho staring down the goal, taking his time before curling into the corner.

The defending was somewhat suspect, with Virgil van Dijk remaining still instead of closing the England international down.


Rashford makes it 2-0

If United fans were excited by going one goal up, things got even more electrifying when they doubled their advantage.

Substitute Anthony Martial set Marcus Rashford free and the forward, who hadn't netted since January, tucked in nicely at the near post.

Having been at risk of being left behind this season, Rashford's strike is a timely reminder of his quality after a few tough seasons.


Salah reduces the deficit

Liverpool didn't get going all night. With a number of game-changing players out injured, they looked lethargic with Jordan Henderson and James Milner in midfield.

Mohamed Salah had a disappointingly quiet game, having been the arch antagonist when the Reds trounced United in the corresponding fixture last season, though he did manage to drag Liverpool back within a goal by heading past David de Gea.

However, most of the chat around the Egyptian focused on how he was kept relatively quiet by United's defence despite netting.


Man Utd rise above Liverpool

The result means Manchester United have leapfrogged Liverpool in the Premier League table. They both remain in the bottom half, however, with United 14th and Liverpool 16th.

However, there is hope at Old Trafford that this surprise win can be a springboard for greater things after defeats to Brighton and Brentford, while Jurgen Klopp remains on the hunt for his first league win of the season.

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