The Reds were on top for long periods and peppered the United goal with 19 shots, but a combination of outstanding goalkeeping by David de Gea and poor finishing denied them a decisive moment.

The most noteworthy incident of an uneventful first half was De Gea denying Joel Matip from close range with a brilliant reflex save with his outstretched left boot, before Mohamed Salah fired the rebound wide.

United offered very little quality in attack although Simon Mignolet had to smartly parry Romelu Lukaku’s fierce attempt before the interval.

Liverpool dominated even more after half-time but Emre Can wasted their best chance when he volleyed over the bar from eight yards after being picked out by the impressive Joe Gomez’s precise cross.

The point was enough to take United – with nine clean sheets in their past 10 league games – to the top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City, who host Stoke City at 15:00 BST.

History repeats itself

It’s almost a year to the day Liverpool and United played out a goalless and drab stalemate in the same stadium, with the hosts subdued by a vintage Jose Mourinho masterclass in defensive organisation and discipline.

Twelve months on, this game was only marginally better despite Liverpool taking the match to United after the break.

A year ago, United were grateful for two fine second-half saves from goalkeeper De Gea to dent Can and Philippe Coutinho.

This time the Spaniard produced a magnificent save with his foot to keep out Matip from close range on his way to his 18th Premier League clean sheet of 2017.

This was only Liverpool’s third clean sheet in 13 games this season but Mourinho will have been the happier manager at the final whistle.

The visitors had just 38% of possession – a 3% improvement on their last visit – yet they produced a dogged defensive display to stop Liverpool from scoring for only the second time this season in the Premier League.

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Source: BBC

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Jurgen Klinsmann defied all odds and named Bayern Munich’s 18 years old German born American, Julien Green ahead of London Donovan to the surprise of many fans.

Donovan has appeared in more World Cup matches than any other player and is currently second on the list of all-time appearances for the United States. He has played 12 World Cup matches for the USA.

This decision seems to have raised several eyebrows with many pundits questioning  the rationale behind this seemingly weird act by Klinsmann.

Explaining the rationale behind his decision, Jurgen Klinsmann disclosed that ”it was one of the toughest decision in my coaching career to tell a player like him with everything he has done and what he represents to tell him you are not part of the final 23 and currently the other guys are ahead of him and that he understands it.”

He subsequently lauded the manner in which Donovan accepted the news and tagged him as an outstanding professional. “He took it the best way possible, his disappointment is huge but I totally understand that, he took it very professional because he is an outstanding professional player”.

The United States of America will play old nemesis the Black Stars of Ghana on the 17^th of June at the Estadio das Dunas [Natal] before they play both Germany and Portugal respectively.

The United States are currently in  camp preparing for the World Cup in Stanford, Calif.  Before traveling to Brazil, the Americans will play Azerbaijan on May 27 in San Francisco, Turkey on June 1, in Harrison, N.J., and Nigeria on June 7 in Jacksonville

U.S.A final 23 man squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS: DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nurnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)

MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

By: Benjamin Epton Owusu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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