Player ratings as Dalot earns late red card in goalless draw

Liverpool and Manchester United served up a grim goalless draw at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Both sides emerged with a point yet neither deserved anything from a historic derby that always earns top billing but offered precious little entertainment this weekend. Diogo Dalot’s stoppage-time red card came too late for Liverpool to capitalise, although, there was scant evidence to suggest that the hosts had the composure to punish United’s indiscipline.

A draw left Liverpool in second place, one point behind new leaders Arsenal while United are somehow as high as seventh.

How the game unfolded

In front of the biggest Anfield crowd since 1963, Liverpool were a furious red blur to begin the game. Yet, Manchester United managed to weather the early onslaught and the 57,000 packed into Merseyside were oddly subdued for large swathes of the first half.

Those watching on needn’t have looked towards Alisson’s goal, the first 45 minutes took place almost exclusively inside United’s half but saw the hosts fritter away their dominance with a series of mangled and misjudged decisions.

United were just as guilty of sullying the spectacle. Erik ten Hag’s side just had far fewer opportunities in possession to prove their ineptitude.

It took both sides more than three-quarters of the contest to avoid an error long enough to create a clear goalscoring chance. United were the authors of the move but Rasmus Hojlund stabbed his shot straight into Alisson’s chest. After attempting two passes over the first hour, Hojlund could be forgiven for reacquainting himself with the feel of the ball.

As this low-fi drudgery briefly threatened to gather pace, Liverpool caught United out from a quick throw-in. Luis Diaz’s shot was smothered by three visiting players but Darwin Nunez swiftly gave into the afternoon’s lethargy, bizarrely letting the ball run out of play to appeal for a non-existent foul while an open goal gaped.

Dalot epitomised the frustration of every spectator forced to sit through such dross. A needlessly forceful outburst deep into stoppage time was punished with two quick-fire yellow cards. A fitting end to a wretched match.

GK: Alisson – 7/10 – After more than an hour of inaction, Alisson was alert to United’s first flicker of threat.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 5/10 – Sauntered around the pitch but didn’t quite have his radar accurately calibrated.

CB:…