London (AFP)

Manchester United qualified on Sunday for the knockout stages of the FA Cup by beating Liverpool (3-2), a defeat that pushes the Reds even further into the league.

Distanced by six points by the Red Devils in the Premier League standings halfway through the season, the Reds once again come out early enough in a competition that Jürgen Klopp likes to overlook.

Under his orders, they never went further than the round of 16.

However, we can not blame him for having balanced this match, the changes made responding to an understandable logic of management of a workforce not spared by injuries.

He had established Rhys Williams at the back and Curtis Jones on the left wing, both nineteen years old, while leaving Sadio Mané on the bench.

In the middle, he also had to do without captain Jordan Henderson, replaced by James Milner.

After the painful setback against Burnley (1-0) on Thursday, which had ended 68 consecutive games without defeat at Anfield Road in the league, Klopp had underlined the difficulties of his team in making the decision.

She seems to have progressed on that side, with two beautiful goals from Mohamed Salah.

The first was scored with a pitted ball on a strong and precise serve from Roberto Firmino in the interval (0-1, 18th) and the second at the conclusion of a quick attack (2-2, 58th), which came sanctioned from the Red Devils become too passive once in front of the score.

- Fernandes still decisive -

But neither Salah, nor his team, will be able to be satisfied with this after another defeat, the 3rd out of the last 5 matches.

Opposite, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had also made some strong choices, leaving Bruno Fernandes and Fred on the bench in the middle, as well as Anthony Martial in attack - but not Paul Pogba, essential to the team -, can rejoice of this prestigious success.

In a remake much more open and removed than the 0-0 a week earlier in the league, his team was able to come back to score and then force the decision.

The equalizer at 1-1 came from a ball recovered from Pogba in front of his box.

The counter-attack quickly developed towards Marcus Rashford on the left whose millimeter opening found Mason Greenwood, scorer of a recovery full of coolness against Alisson (1-1, 26th).

The roles were reversed on the second goal with an opening from Greenwood, which Williams could not intercept, for Rashford who easily won his face-to-face (2-1, 48th).

But to overcome the hereditary enemy, it was still necessary to call on Bruno Fernandes out of the bench.

Edinson Cavani, holder in point, obtained a free kick in the trade against Fabinho who knows him well.

And the Portuguese wound up a powerful strike from 19 meters open side which deceived the Brazilian goalkeeper for the third time (3-2, 78th).

Manchester United face West Ham at home in the round of 16 on February 10.

© 2021 AFP