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Manchester United came to Liverpool with every intention of repeating what they did last season - and just like last season it took a David De Gea super-save and an inexplicable miss from the United no.9 for the game to end 0-0.
De Gea's save off Matip was otherworldly (he remains United's most impactful player) while Lukaku will be kicking himself for missing the one chance he got during a lonely, lonely, afternoon in Anfield
#5. Liverpool miss the thrust of Mane, United the poise of Pogba
As entertaining as Liverpool are with Phillippe Coutinho pulling the strings and Mohamed Salah making those dazzling, dancing, runs of his, they are substantially more effective without Sadio Mane in their side. The Senegalese's direct approach and potency in front of goal would have lent this result a different tint.
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Meanwhile, as good as United's defensive organization was, they were hopeless in possession - except for that one beautiful move that led to Lukaku's chance - and that's where they missed the poise, vision, and pure footballing skill of Paul Pogba. Had the Frenchman been there, the Liverpool midfield might not have been able to dominate just as much as they did.
#4. Frustrated Romelu Lukaku fluffs his lines in big audition
This had been the accusation leveled at Lukaku over the past few years... as he good as he is at racking up goals against the so-called minnows, he simply doesn't turn up for the big games.
Today, as starved of service as he was, as lonely as he was all game, he had the chance to bury that accusation and take his game to the next level. Martial's dancing feet and Mkhitaryan's lovely vision released him into the box, and one-on-one with Mignolet, all he could do was hit straight at the goalie... either side, and that was 1-0 United and a gameplan worked to perfection.
#3. Did Phillipe Coutinho deserve a penalty? Oh, and why was he substituted?
On first look, the one controversial decision that the otherwise excellent Martin Atkinson made all night - the penalty claim on Phillipe Coutinho seemed to be a correct one... as Ander Herrera seemed to have nicked the ball off Coutinho's toes.
But on repeated viewing, and in slow motion, it appears that Coutinho was in fact tripped by the Spaniard.... a hard one to catch, and a hard one for Atkinson to get, but it does look like it should have been a penalty.
While that decision was one that could have gone either way, the one that Klopp made to sub off Coutinho was a strange one. Having been invisible in the first half, the Brazilian had come alive in the second and it appeared likely that United could concede everytime he got the ball at his feet... a couple of delectable dinks into runners into the box and a couple of runs that left the men in grey chasing shadows stood out.
As Liverpool entered the final phase of the game, he would have provided for some killer thrust, but inexplicably Klopp disagreed.
#2. Joe Gomez puts in a magnificent display, De Gea saves United
Sky Sports' man of the match, Joe Gomez was brilliant at right-back for Liverpool. He kept Anthony Martial on a leash - apart from that one moment of magic from the Frenchman (in the lead up to the Lukaku chance) that could have changed everything - but he hardly put a foot wrong against two of the Premier League's deadliest wingers.
Martial, in the end, was forced to switch flanks - and against Moreno, he created more, and had more freedom, in ten minutes than the preceding fifty against Gomez.
When Rashford came on, it was more of the same, the young Englishman having one of his quietest games yet - and with Gomez blocking him everywhere he went.
An assured display from the youngster - and one that made sure Mourinho's gameplan didn't quite work.
#1. Mourinho's tactics ensure attritional United will leave Anfield happier than wasteful Liverpool
This is the first time in their century-old rivalry that Manchester United and Liverpool have ended 0-0 in consecutive games at Anfield. While most will hail this as a defensive masterclass from Mourinho, and it was, it also lends an air of hypocrisy to the arguments that Mourinho often levels at his opponents when they do the same to his side.
Only one side went for the win here, Mourinho employing the famous "you-take-the-ball" tactics that saw Real Madrid finally overcome Pep Guardiola's Barcelona - he dulled Liverpool's attack, reducing them to pot-shots and hopeful crosses and apart from two real scares - when De Gea did the impossible to somehow stop Matip's close-range effort and when Emre Can smashed the ball into row Z of the Kop from four yards out -and in the end Mourinho will leave Anfield the happier man.
Hell, if Lukaku had grabbed that gilt-edged chance, it would have been perfect.
