LONDON: Another trophy chance has escaped Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool slipped out of ther FA Cup with a 3-2 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It was the second weekend in which Klopp failed to get the better of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Seven days earlier United had sealed their Premier League advantage by holding Liverpool goalless at Anfield.

Liverpool have won only one match in their last seven and are paying a heavy price for their injury problems in defence and perhaps too many perpetual changes in midfield. United, recovering from 1:0 down in the clubs’ 18th FA Cup meeting since 1898, will face West Ham in the fifth round.

The team line-ups, with only United’s Bruno Fernandes and Liverpool’s Sadio Mane of their main outfield players on the substitutes’ bench, underlined how seriously both managers were taking the game. At progress was both progress in the FA Cup but also a psychological edge with the league in mind.

Mason Greenwood cut in from the right to force an early save from Alisson and United also forced a first corner. But Liverpool responded with a characteristic transition and opening 18th-minute goal from Mo Salah. It was his 18th goal in all competitions this season and his 112th goal for Liverpool.

The status of the Egyptian is intriguing after suggestions that he has been growing unsettled at Anfield. He is not the only Liverpool player whose long-term future is in question. Both Salah and Mane have drawn interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona while Gini Wijnaldum has refused the club’s latest offer for a contract extension beyond this season.

A shadow of long-term uncertainty also hangs over Divock Origi, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Takumi Minamino and Xherdan Shaqiri.

United equalised in the 26th minute. Paul Pogba won possession on the edge of his own penalty and Marcus Rashford hit a superb angled cross over the head of James Milner. Greenwood ended a run of 10 appearances without a goal by shooting low past Alisson’s right hand.

Luke Shaw and Rashford caused Liverpool a host of problems down the left wing as United ended the first half on top. Pogba and Scott McTominay both headed over the bar, unchallenged, from successive corners then the Frenchman went close twice more with a free kick and then a shot from just outside the penalty box.

Klopp had chosen Rhys Williams as partner to Fabinho in the centre of Liverpool’s injury-hit defence. The 19-year-old made several mistakes in the first half and he was fatally at fault in the third minute of the second half. Williams kicked and missed a through pass from Greenwood and Rashford ran clear to shoot United into the lead.

Liverpool equalised within 10 minutes. Edinson Cavani gave away possession in midfield and Roberto Firmino presented Salah with his second goal of the game.

Klopp’s men appeared to be in command. But not for long. They brought on Mane so United brought on Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese midfielder won the tie by shooting United back ahead with a magnificent free kick awarded for Fabinho’s trip on Cavani.

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