TF Player Ratings - United 2-2 Liverpool

Lukáš Horníček - 7

When he was lying awake last night thinking about today, he would have craved the chance to settle himself with a smart early save, and that’s exactly what happened as he saved brilliantly low down from Wirtz, which also looked like it took a deflection.

Early indications are that he comes for crosses rather than punching and loves bowling the ball out. Confident enough today. Not quite sure how him picking the ball up for a goal kick with about ten seconds left, ended up with Liverpool gaining possession straight away and ultimately scoring, however. For every other side on the planet that would have been game over. Not us.

Amar Dedić - 8

An excellent debut, made even more impressive by the fact that he only joined on Monday. A lot to be said for someone who knows Jaissle’s system already, but he looked unrushed, steady and energetic.

We might even have a replacement for Guimarães when it comes to orchestrating the crowd as well, as shown when he screamed like a banshee after blasting it off Gakpo for a throw-in he had no right to win.

Malick Thiaw - 7

Another excellent performance and looked commanding in the face of Liverpool endlessly and at times aimlessly standing crosses up. Thiaw can head those away all day.

Looked a tad uncomfortable with the ball at his feet and did the old ‘backing-off thing’ late on when Liverpool broke, but that’s picking faults a little as he was good today.

Sven Botman - 8

Botman had been a massive worry in pre pre-season. The Bristol City performance was resembling comedy, but this is when it really mattered. Up against Isak rather than Laurent Tolaj, he was commanding. Everything that we worried about pre match (lack of pace, Isak getting him one on one) didn’t matter as he put in his best performance for us for a very long time.

Incredible to see.

Lewis Hall - 7

Hall generally looked back to his best again today, but blotted his copybook with the clumsiest of challenges deep into injury time. Yes, the ref was itching to give it, but would standing up to a player going nowhere, not have been a better way forward? Hall simply gave them a decision to make. Apart from that he was all over Liverpool and as good as anyone when it came to getting right in their faces.

Sean Steur - 7

Did ok. Looked like it might have been him that didn’t close down Gakpo for the first goal, but the lad has confidence by the bucketload and looks to get the ball moving quick and this worked very well alongside Miley.

He tired though and it was wise for Ramsey to come on at that point.

Lewis Miley - 8

Started nervously but once he got into the feel of the game, he ran the midfield. A fit as a fiddle Miley (and more importantly left to his own devices in midfield instead of filling in at full back) will be a sensation this season if he keeps this up.

His passing has always been on it, but maybe the bite wasn’t previously there. Today that definitely wasn’t the case and it was only a truncated pre season that ended with him going off having given everything.

Anthony Elanga - 7

What a finish. I trusted neither Osula or Elanga to keep their cool in the positions they were in, but Elanga went with his Sweden World Cup vintage rather than his season 2025-26 nadir to fire low past Alisson. He was a menace all evening and was a very fruitful outball.

We still had some brain freeze moments, especially in the second half, but like a lethal fast bowler, maybe we should just use him in devastating short bursts. A very, very promising performance.

Harvey Barnes - 6

Not his day today. Nothing he tried really came off and when he did get lucky, like when Wissa’s miscue fell to him at the far post, he didn’t seem to anticipate it.

Tried his best but poor on the day.

Yoanne Wissa - 9

Can all of our underperforming players spend a month with the DR Congo coaches please? This was a version of Wissa completely unrecognisable from last year. Lets face it, he can’t play up front by himself. Playing just behind Osula, he worked his balls off, won flick ons and was immediately at Van Dijk when he tried to play it out from the back.

Pressing the opposition is back folks and Wissa looked like a player again. Could have scored a couple and they were big chances, but he did well today.

Anyone thinking I would knock points off for that hilarious volley attempt in the first half doesn’t know me by now. That grand effort would gain him something, if anything. It was up there with Nicky Butt’s Milburn overhead kick. Yes, that good/bad.

William Osula - 7

Struggled with a foot injury which ultimately ended his afternoon which was a shame as he had played the modus operandi of being a right pain in the arse perfectly up until then.

As he streaked clear for our first goal I was waiting for something nasty, but he produced a calm, perfectly weighted pass for Elanga who finished well.

SUBSTITUTES

Jacob Ramsey (for Steur, 56’) - 7

An excellent cameo from a player probably unlucky not to start.

He kept the ball, kept it moving, got stuck in and almost made it three one with a shot which was inches away.

Joe Willock (for Osula, 56’) - 8

The collective “Is that Willock? I thought he had gone to Turkey” as he came on was immediately replaced with us singing his name as the unlikeliest of almost match winners curled in an instant classic. Apart from that he looked comfortable in the system. One to watch this year?

Jacob Murphy (for Elanga, 76’) - 5

One lovely cross which was begging to be tapped in, but Murphy did what Murphy does. Great one minute, then has you tearing hair out the next.

Aladji Bamba (for Miley, 76’) - 5

Didn’t make much impact, but one thing - how big is he?

Fabian Schär (for Wissa, 90+5’) - N/A

Trotted on for the last few seconds.

Scott Robson