Liverpool were held to a frustrating draw despite dominating Manchester United at Anfield and have now won just once in eight games.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were on top for long periods and peppered the United goal with 19 shots, but a combination of outstanding goalkeeping by David de Gea and poor finishing denied them a decisive moment.
The most noteworthy incident of an uneventful first half was De Gea denying Joel Matip from close range with a brilliant reflex save with his outstretched left boot, before Mohamed Salah fired the rebound wide.
United offered very little quality in attack although Simon Mignolet had to smartly parry Romelu Lukaku’s fierce attempt before the interval.
Liverpool dominated even more after half-time but Emre Can wasted their best chance when he volleyed over the bar from eight yards after being picked out by the impressive Joe Gomez’s precise cross.
The point was enough to take United – with nine clean sheets in their past 10 league games – to the top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City, who host Stoke City at 15:00 BST.
It’s almost a year to the day Liverpool and United played out a goalless and drab stalemate in the same stadium, with the hosts subdued by a vintage Jose Mourinho masterclass in defensive organisation and discipline.
Twelve months on, this game was only marginally better despite Liverpool taking the match to United after the break.
A year ago, United were grateful for two fine second-half saves from goalkeeper De Gea to denied Can and Philippe Coutinho.
This time the Spaniard produced a magnificent save with his foot to keep out Matip from close range on his way to his 18th Premier League clean sheet of 2017.
This was only Liverpool’s third clean sheet in 13 games this season but Mourinho will have been the happier manager at the final whistle.
The visitors had just 38 per cent of possession – a 3 per cent improvement on their last visit – yet they produced a dogged defensive display to stop Liverpool from scoring for only the second time this season in the Premier League.
Lukaku fails big test
Lukaku started the day as the Premier League’s leading scorer yet, not for the first time, he failed to deliver against Liverpool.
The powerful Belgium striker registered a shot on target – something he had not done in five of his past seven meetings against the Reds – when his compatriot Mignolet beat away his stinging first-half shot in front of The Kop.
But this was largely a game to forget for the former Everton striker, who lacked the sharpness that had helped him to seven goals in his first seven league games for United.
Lukaku managed just one touch in the opening 23 minutes and his frustration seemed to take over when he clattered into Matip and then his left foot appeared to catch Dejan Lovren – although he escaped a yellow card on both occasion.
He ended the match with 22 touches, which was reflective of his own subdued performance as well as the modest attacking ambition shown by his team-mates as United’s six-match winning run came to an end.
