Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool: In-game & post-match wake-up call

Downing would struggle to be exempt from criticism in a mid table team even for him being a mid table player. He was appalling in Middlesborough's relegation season 4 years back and seemed to fool us all with a decent year at Aston Villa two years ago. His lack of bravery, bite, passion and consciousness in knowing what role he is to do is utterly dire.

With Borini back, Sturridge in we should see less and less of Downing in the side.

Having said that he wasn't alone today as Sterling was just as ineffective, if not more, on the other side.

Pity, thought a draw would've been the right result.  We completely dominated the 2nd half.

Say what???

We could (should?) have lost 3 or 4 to 1 and if we dominated the 2nd half as you say, why did we basically draw it (1-1)?

We were crap today. It's great that Sturridge got on the score sheet but aside from him and Johnson, just about everyone else had a bad game.

He didn't really go 4 4 2.

Just Suarez played in the Allen role only a bit further forward and much more efffectively.

I actually can't believe Allen ended up playing in the number 10 role after 20 decent minutes there against an already beaten and tired Sunderland...

One of the worst managerial decisions in recent memory for me that.

What saddens me the most is the fact Lucas wasn't any good either. He's usually a beast against Man Utd...

Can't expect too much of a guy coming from 2 serious injuries though, but it is frustrating

I thought Brendan made a bad mistake playing Allen in a more forward role. Once that was rectified at half time I thought we controlled the game and should have got a draw.

Sturridge scores again but missed a couple of half chances and one good chance, while nothing really went Suarez way today. Downing piss poor first half.... much better second half.

Not a clue who I would give m.o.t.m. to. Most had reasonable games but no one stood out for me.

Long way to go judging by our first half performance, maybe only a couple of top players short going off our second half.

You're not one for usually understating things Si but I think that's one of the biggest I've seen. Suarez showed Allen a way of playing he simply isn't capable of and why he should never be seen as our answer to the number 10 role, never.

I'm trying to hold back a bit mate as Allen even starting this game has pissed me off no end never mind how dreadful he played.

Hard to believe that he's "not addressing it". Maybe he just doesn't have the players to address it properly.

But surely if it's costing you games/goals/points - you work on it don't you.  At a basic level, why not go five in midfield?  It looks like the 'philosophy' takes priority over everything else.

I actually can't believe Allen ended up playing in the number 10 role after 20 decent minutes there against an already beaten and tired Sunderland...

One of the worst managerial decisions in recent memory for me that.

What - if you see someone to well in a role you deploy them there?

Yeah, terrible decision.

Downing would struggle to be exempt from criticism in a relegation side. He was appalling in Middlesborough's relegation season 4 years back and seemed to fool us all with a decent year at Aston Villa two years ago. His lack of bravery, bite, passion and consciousness in knowing what role he is to do is utterly dire.

Exactly.

He was Boro "star" (poor Boro, my heart goes out to them) and scored zero goals in that relegation campaign, despite playing nearly every game.

Downing is the worst player ever played for Liverpool. countless times in second half when every one of our players were doing their best to pressurize the scums he was just containing the player with the ball. never seen him pulling out his leg for the ball.

waste of space.

Downing is the worst player ever played for Liverpool.

He's not.

A poor player but not the worst.

Maybe having 5 in midfield would have helped...OR the players that were in the midfield could have played a whole lot better and it wouldn't have mattered.

Say what???

We could (should?) have lost 3 or 4 to 1 and if we dominated the 2nd half as you say, why did we basically draw it (1-1)?

We were crap today. It's great that Sturridge got on the score sheet but aside from him and Johnson, just about everyone else had a bad game.

So Utd weren't hanging on at the end? 3 or 4 1 me arse.

Wisdom my LFC MOTM, excellent performance from the young lad in a tough fixture.

Exactly.

He was Boro "star" (poor Boro, my heart goes out to them) and scored zero goals in that relegation campaign, despite playing nearly every game.

i remember him scoring against us when we won 4-1, wasnt it the same season boro got relegated?

We were crap today. It's great that Sturridge got on the score sheet but aside from him and Johnson, just about everyone else had a bad game.

Why have a few people said Johnson's been decent?

His mistake cost us a goal, and he made a huge mistake before half time which gave RVP a brilliant chance.

I thought Brendan made a bad mistake playing Allen in a forward role. Once that was rectified at half time I thought we controlled the game and should have got a draw.

Sturridge scores again but missed a couple of half chances and one good chance, while nothing really went Suarez way today. Downing piss poor first half.... much better second half.

Not a clue who I would give m.o.t.m. to. Most had reasonable games but no one stood out for me.

Long way to go judging by our first half performance, maybe only a couple of top players short going off our second half.

I would have given shelvey that role today, at least he doesn't pussy out of challenges andd some of those through balls he threaded last weekend were great.

Lucas is good with some clever positioning and tackles, unfortunately he doesn't possesses the pace of Masch.

What - if you see someone to well in a role you deploy them there?

Yeah, terrible decision.

When he's done well for about 20 minutes yes it was terrible. Considering that Henderson was the one that actually played better in that role when the game was still balanced. Same goes for the QPR game where Henderson played well in that role.

Dropping him for Allen was just a silly decision, especially when Allen was sh*te and bullied around by Mansfield the previous week.

i remember him scoring against us when we won 4-1, wasnt it the same season boro got relegated?

Hmm I remember the fact he didn't get any goals in the season they were relegated but I might be wrong, too angry to check wikipedia now though

So Utd weren't hanging on at the end? 3 or 4 1 me arse.

Wow, I guess we watched different games. Go back and see how many people said we were lucky to only be down 1 at half.  Anyone thinking we deserved to win that game needs their head examined.

Dropping him for Allen was just a silly decision, especially when Allen was sh*te and bullied around by Mansfield the previous week.

Agree mate.

Poor selection from the boss just when Henderson is getting a run of form he's dropped for a player who last good game for us I can barely remember.

Lucas needs to spend this second half of the season recovering and getting back up to speed in time for next season. We should probably rest him a bit more.

Allen needs to buck up his ideas because he doesn't justify us leaving out Hendo.

We looked good in a 4-4-2 maybe we should use that.