Aside from pivotal title deciders it was possibly THE most hyped league game ever. This was because of the rivalry, the day of the week and the fact it was after an intl break - the build up seemed to last forever and a day. So the sense of expectation was huge and what we got was a bit of a damp squib. Not many people would have predicted a 0-0.
In the first half we were poor - second to everything, no rhythm, stray passes everywhere and lacking any creativity. The difference was huge once Lallana came on - we suddenly looked threatening (without creating anything clearcut - Utds defence was really tight) and we were cohesive, keeping the ball and making much better runs (Firmino's and Can's nearly paid off).
I wasn't shocked at all by Jose' (6-3-1) tactics - that is his go to plan in these types of situations and he usually gets it right. I agree with Carra when he said that the second half wasn't typical of a Man Utd team but was typical of a Jose Mourinho team. They are now one and the same and in terms of football style and ethos, its Utd who are adapting to Jose, not the other way round - which is understandable. He is using a formula which he has tried and tested at his previous clubs. I think Utd are still lacking some fluidity and a cohesive style - but its very early days in your new managers reign.
Considering our form, Utd, as the away team can definitely feel more happy with the result. But I'm not that disappointed tbh - its another big game done and dusted and we're still well positioned in the league to challenge for top 4. Its already very compressed at the top of the table, so getting a draw against a rival is a decent result. For the first time in ages (possibly ever in fact!) I actually think we might have a better chance of winning against Utd at OT than Anfield - recent history doesn't suggest that but the way Mourinho sets up, depending on who is at home, means that OT is likely to be a more open game. Shame we'll be missing Mane for that one.