Liverpool exited the FA Cup’s fourth round in a five-goal thriller with Manchester United.

Mohamed Salah broke the deadlock on 18 minutes by receiving Roberto Firmino’s killer pass before chipping the hosts’ goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

But the Reds’ lead lasted all of eight minutes as their hosts equalised through Mason Greenwood’s cool finish after receiving a long ball from Marcus Rashford.

Rashford scored himself just after half-time as he capitalised on Rhys Williams’ lax defending to steal in behind and find the bottom corner of Alisson’s net.

Jurgen Klopp’s side struck again just ten minutes later with Salah completing his brace with a tidy close-range strike that was teed up once again by Firmino.

However United snatched victory in the final stages of the tie with Bruno Fernandes’ free kick delivering a killer blow to the Premier League champions.

Here were the key talking points from Old Trafford:

A very different East Lancs clash

 

Last week’s Premier League clash between these sides failed to match the hype.

The Anfield stalemate was an uninspiring war of attrition which made a mockery of its huge billing as one of the most anticipated contests of any given season.

In contrast, once Mohamed Salah opened the scoring here, the cagey opening exchanges became a distant memory and gave way to a more end-to-end affair.

With perhaps less to lose in an FA Cup tie, both United and Liverpool’s counter-attacking styles made for a more open and incredibly entertaining spectacle.

From Jurgen Klopp’s perspective, he will be largely pleased with how Alisson and his defence repelled United’s constant threat on the break for the most part.

In attack, too, there were signs for optimism with Salah’s goals in each half bolstered by the trademark creativity of Liverpool’s full-backs slowly returning.

While he won’t be pleased with the outcome, the Liverpool manager can at least take more positives from this game than last weekend’s dire draw at home.

Reds rediscover their Midas touch

 

So far this year, Liverpool have added a whole new meaning to ‘Dry January’.

They are yet to celebrate a Premier League goal in 2021 and have now exited the one competition where goals have still flowed in the new calendar year.

But despite their recent drought, there were clear hallmarks of the fearsome front line which many have grown accustomed to seeing week in and week out.

Salah took the plaudits by being back to his devastating best but similarly promising was the display from Firmino, who set up both of the Egyptian’s goals.

His exquisite through balls cut United open in what was the most impressive Liverpool’s attack has looked since last month’s vanquishing of Crystal Palace.

With Tottenham, Manchester City and Everton on the horizon, Klopp can at least take heart from some of his front men finally rediscovering their Midas touch.

Still no answer to defensive issues

 

Last year, Rhys Williams was enjoying a loan spell at Kidderminster Harriers.

Since that stint in English football’s seventh tier, the centre-back has been propelled almost instantly into the firing line by Liverpool’s defensive injury crisis.

Such a leap is daunting for any youngster to make, so it is hard to expect too much of Williams given his lack of experience beyond the National League North.

But in his 12th Liverpool outing this term, Williams did little to stake a claim as Fabinho’s long-term partner while Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez remain injured.

His lack of pace was exposed particularly by Marcus Rashford, with United’s no.10 punishing his elementary mistake by netting early in the second half.

Recently, with Liverpool struggling for goals, it could be argued that Klopp is overcomplicating by playing two central midfielders at the heart of defence.

While Fabinho has settled, Jordan Henderson does not appear fully comfortable and the consequent midfield reshuffle may have contributed to the goal drought.

But when players naturally to the role like Williams endured as a difficult an afternoon as he did, Klopp trying square pegs in round holes is understandable.

Opportunity lost again in the Cup

 

Delivering a Champions League and long-awaited Premier League title in the last two years means Klopp cannot be overly criticised for his Anfield record so far.

But if there is to be one tinge of disappointment, it is that Liverpool have failed to progress beyond the FA Cup’s fifth round under his five-year stewardship.

Previously, he has been guilty of putting the competition on the back-burner by fielding under-strength squads to prioritise matches with greater consequences.

There was no such case at Old Trafford in selecting the strongest line-up currently at his disposal, and the defeat certainly was not for lack of effort.

But Liverpool losing momentum and struggling for confidence in the league meant an FA Cup win over United could have presented just the tonic they need.

Having delivered such an improved performance on recent games, it’s hard not to see this latest cup exit as an opportunity missed for Klopp and his side.