For over a decade, Manchester United have struggled to claim a victory at Anfield, with their only success during this period dating back to January 2016. In a tightly contested match, Marouane Fellaini’s header and Wayne Rooney’s follow-up sealed the only win for United at Liverpool in the past ten years, despite multiple attempts by different managers.
Following that solitary triumph, the Red Devils were unable to secure another win at Anfield. Under José Mourinho, United earned two consecutive 0-0 draws in 2016 and 2017, with David de Gea often playing a pivotal role in keeping Liverpool at bay. However, these results were far from satisfactory for both sides, as Liverpool was disappointed by their inability to win at home, while United’s defensive strategy seemed to indicate they were happy to settle for a point.
The trend of misery for United continued over the years. In December 2018, Liverpool handed United a 3-1 defeat, leading to José Mourinho’s sacking. A year later, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s goals in a 2-0 victory for Liverpool underscored the vast gulf in quality between the two sides. The defeat, during Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s first visit to Anfield as manager, left United trailing far behind their rivals.
The humiliation reached new heights in April 2022 when Liverpool thrashed United 4-0. Ralf Rangnick’s United, already struggling in the league, was completely overwhelmed, with Salah scoring twice in a dominant performance from the Merseyside team.
In March 2023, Liverpool handed United an embarrassing 7-0 defeat, a low point for Erik ten Hag’s side, despite United’s earlier win over Liverpool earlier in the season. The rout highlighted United’s frailties in big matches, with Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez, and Salah all scoring to inflict United’s heaviest defeat at Anfield in years.
The draw in December 2023, a goalless stalemate, was a slight improvement but still far from a breakthrough. With Ruben Amorim now in charge, United continue to struggle against their bitter rivals, unable to secure the elusive three points that have eluded them for nearly a decade. The 2-2 draw in January 2025 provided a glimpse of hope, but it was not enough to change United’s long-standing misfortune at Anfield.
