Football
2018/2019 English Premier League
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Liverpool return to the top but are held by injury-hit Manchester United

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League but had to settle for a point from a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in which Manchester United lost Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard to injuries before half-time.

In a game of high tempo but few chances and only three shots on target, neither side could find the sort of quality in their final pass that might have proved decisive.

Liverpool had an opening in the first couple of minutes, David De Gea getting a hand to Ashley Young's backpass under pressure from Roberto Firmino to give away an indirect free kick, but James Milner's shot was blocked.

Mohamed Salah was then swiftly closed down as he received possession just outside the area before United came forward but Marcus Rashford slipped as he shot from an angle and Alisson claimed easily.

In a predictably frantic start, a Salah run ended with a low cross that was deflected through to De Gea before Luke Shaw gave the ball away but United cleared their lines.

With 15 minutes gone, Joel Matip set off on a run inside the United half and was brought down on the edge of the area, but Salah curled a wayward free kick well over.

A crisp Liverpool move down the left ended with an Andrew Robertson cross that flashed through the penalty area, and United readied themselves for an early change, Alexis Sanchez warming up with Rashford limping.

The home side's problems deepened, Herrera suffering a hamstring problem, and they made a change after 21 minutes, Herrera coming off and Andreas Pereira on.

Rashford, who had shrugged off that earlier knock, raced down the left to start a move that won United a corner, but it came to nothing and a resulting Liverpool counter broke down when Mata dispossessed Salah before Milner was booked for fouling Paul Pogba.

Mata, also limping after a knock, then had to hobble from the action, Lingard replacing him as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a second enforced change before the half-hour.

And soon Liverpool had to make a substitution, Firmino -- who appeared to have suffered a muscle sprain -- replaced by Daniel Sturridge.

Sturridge tried his luck with an optimistic strike from a long way out, easily fielded by De Gea, before a fierce Pogba effort was deflected behind.

Alisson made an outstanding interception when Romelu Lukaku picked up possession and threaded a pass to Lingard, who was thwarted as he attempted to round the goalkeeper.

But in getting to the ball, Lingard -- returning from injury -- suffered another setback and United had to make their third and final change before the break, Alexis Sanchez replacing him.

Sanchez was quickly into the action, producing a cross from the right that Lukaku met with a downward header held by Alisson, but the four minutes of added time at the end of the half produced nothing else in the way of opportunities.

Sturridge chased a through ball into the United area in the opening moments of the second half, only for De Gea to get there first, and then Young's deep free kick was met by Pogba, whose header was saved with the flag already up.

A move down the Liverpool right gave Jordan Henderson the chance to cross, but it ricocheted away off a defender, and then Rashford looked set to get onto a long ball into the area only for his control to let him down.

Rashford scuffed a first-time effort wide after Lukaku had drifted out to the right to provide the cross, and then Henderson tried an early ball towards Mane but it was headed away easily enough.

With 66 minutes gone, Georginio Wijnaldum shot from the edge of the area but thumped miles over, and the same player's header soon afterwards deflected to safety off Scott McTominay.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made his second change of the game after 71 minutes, Henderson making way for Xherdan Shaqiri, and with 15 minutes left United briefly thought they had taken the lead -- but the flag had been raised before Matip turned the ball into his own goal.

The visitors made their last switch as the game approached its final 10 minutes, Salah off for Divock Origi, and then Young was booked for a trip on Milner after the Liverpool player had spun away from him.

Shaqiri was booked for bringing down Rashford as the minutes ticked away, Wijnaldum following him for a late foul on Young, and then Lukaku conjured another cross that just eluded Chris Smalling at the far post.

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