MANCHESTER, England—Against a backdrop of protests against the club’s ownership, Manchester United delivered a performance of intensity and spirit to beat fierce rival Liverpool 2–1 on Monday and finally claim its first points in the Premier League this season.
Composed finishes by Jadon Sancho in the 16th minute and Marcus Rashford in the 53rd earned a victory that will bring some respite for under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, who made a huge statement in his team selection by dropping star striker Cristiano Ronaldo and club captain Harry Maguire and was validated.
Suddenly, the heat is on Liverpool–widely expected to be a title contender again this season–with Jürgen Klopp’s team still waiting for a win after three games and now languishing behind United in the standings. Mohamed Salah scored an 81st-minute consolation but it was another below-par display from Liverpool….