Sir Alex Ferguson was notably pleased with a gritty Manchester United performance that saw them claim a 0-0 draw at Anfield and preserve their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
Jose Mourinho’s men, inhibited by injuries to Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini, struggled to pick Liverpool’s back four apart during a cagey contest, with Romelu Lukaku coming the closet in the first half, hit tame shot easily saved by Simon Mignolet.
But the hosts, for all their pomp and possession, only made David de Gea produce one save of note – a seemingly impossible stop with his left leg from Joel Matip’s close range drive.
And Sir Alex was seen applauding what was an unenterprising but dogged performance from the visitors.
This was always going to be a game that Liverpool dominated. Mourinho could only call upon Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic in the middle and the pair were, whilst indomitable, unable to generate much forward momentum up against a midfield three of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Emre Can and even Philipe Coutinho, who often dropped deep to receive the ball.
And so, with no real creative nucleus, this was always going to be a battle of resolve, and United came through it maturely.