JOHN BRADLEY: There's a thick mist hanging over Anfield today
but things are starting to become clearer and clearer by the day
as to what Liverpool need to do for the remainder of the season
if they are to end that long wait for the Premier League title.
Oxlade-Chamberlain brings in Robertson.
Firmino coming round the back, it's half-away by Shaw.
Oxlade-Chamberlain gives himself a bit of work to get there - but he does.
And wins Liverpool another corner.
Liverpool's corner taken by Alexander-Arnold - and in by Virgil van Dijk!
It's as simple as that for Liverpool, the big man steps forward,
and with a big, meaty header deposits the ball into the back of the Man United net.
GARY GILLESPIE: When you've got a player of his ability and class,
and the power in the air that he possesses, just get into an area where he can attack it.
He does exceptionally well because he wants it more than the United defenders,
nobody really blocks him off, and hence the reason he gets the jump.
And he times his jump to absolute perfection, above Harry Maguire.
And from that sort of distance,
De Gea has probably got little chance of getting his hands up there in time.
It hits the back of the net and Liverpool take the lead.
JOHN: The nonchalant response to the nonchalant header,
Liverpool - who hadn't even got going - reach the 15th minute mark and take the lead.
This might still come to Mane!
Just didn't quite get it.
GARY: When it comes to him, ideally he wants to hit it first-time,
because when he takes this little touch,
it just takes it into the path of the covering Luke Shaw and he makes the challenge.
Another Liverpool corner, they are really turning the screw on United.
Good header away by Williams, Salah with the up-and-under.
Virgil van Dijk will be a nuisance to David De Gea.
United have made an almighty mess of it, and it's Firmino!
Well, Manchester United are going to raise hell with the referee here.
And they want this looking at because they feel there was a foul by Van Dijk.
Look at the numbers surrounding the ref.
GARY: I think United will have two calls.
One - was it offside? Two - was it a foul on De Gea?
What you have to say, if it was offside surely the ref's assistant's flag would have gone up,
it wasn't a difficult one to notice.
And De Gea, for his remonstrations, has been booked.
I'm not sure that's a free kick, I'm not sure Van Dijk does an awful lot wrong.
JOHN: David De Gea says to the ref, and Craig Pawson turns round to Harry Maguire,
and says, "How on earth have you allowed that to start with?"
But no matter how incensed you are, you can't react like that.
What a ball by Van Dijk, for Salah -
oh, it's Roberto Firmino, it's just wide.
Liverpool are tearing Manchester United to pieces here.
GARY: Again, how often do we see this diagonal pass by Virgil van Dijk?
And if anything, Firmino just gets in there a little too early.
JOHN: Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gini Wijnaldum -
absolutely beautiful goal!
Stunning. Oh, it's not gonna count, the flag's up.
GARY: That's such a disappointment after a wonderful move by Liverpool.
As team goals go, this is absolutely different class. And he is offside,
the referee's assistant has got the right decision, has to be said.
JOHN: Martial. Has support outside from Williams.
Martial again, Manchester United looking for something,
and they have something round the corner!
Oh, and Pereira with a glorious chance at the far post.
And looks across to the linesman as if to say, "Please help me out."
GARY: I'm not sure if he was offside or not, but it's a great opportunity.
And really, he should be scoring from there.
JOHN: Lovely header by Firmino, Salah for Mane, ball was a little behind him!
And David De Gea with an absolutely brilliant save.
GARY: He's kept his team in it, lovely little pass by Mohamed Salah,
and he's got to hit it with his left foot, Mane, and hits it maybe a little too straight.
And how often have we seen that from the legs of De Gea,
but this game really could be beyond Man United in so many ways.
JOHN: Beautiful layoff by Firmino.
Mane, on to Robertson, Salah!
Well, it's too good a chance for him not to score.
It looked as simple as anything.
Absolutely stunning football from Liverpool.
GARY: Just saying about the full-backs, Robertson tees this up for Salah,
and how's he missed it from there?
That is a gilt-edged opportunity, he'll know that as well.
He'll be annoyed with himself.
JOHN: Here's Luke Shaw.
Horrible-looking ball that gives it away, and it comes to Jordan Henderson!
Well, it nearly snapped the post, he hit it that hard.
GARY: It's been a blistering start to the second half from Liverpool,
ball could have gone in the net at least three times already
and we're only a couple minutes into the game.
JOHN: Here they come, this could be their moment, it's Fred, and he has support.
And he goes on his own.
There's been two or three occasions when they've had the chance to run at Liverpool
and they've been very single-minded.
GARY: That's a bad throw in by Alexander-Arnold,
if you've not got anything just go down the line, you can see Henderson's remonstration.
JOHN: Martial, only James in the middle,
it comes to Martial!
Reminiscent perhaps of a chance Tottenham missed a week ago.
GARY: They do ever so well, Martial does ever so well, to create this chance,
but then, unfortunately for United, he just snatches at it.
JOHN: Wijnaldum, beautiful, takes Maguire out the game as though he wasn't there,
and here's Mane, Liverpool have been looking for a second and now they might have it,
it's Mane! Oh.
GARY: Brilliant by Gini Wijnaldum, and then Sadio Mane, he just delays...
It's difficult to say, I thought the ball was to Firmino on the far side,
but that touch has forced him wide left, and in the end it's not a bad effort.
I think it shows the devastation Liverpool can cause on counter-attacks.
James, Maguire, Dalot.
They do have a man over.
It's Maguire.
James. On to Dalot.
Henderson gets across, but Manchester United will try again.
Fred's delivery is deep, Van Dijk's header is a good one,
on by Wan-Bissaka and Juan Mata, who once scored a couple of goals here in a United win.
Here's Salah, he's got a run on goal,
he's still going - AND SALAH FOR LIVERPOOL!
Have a little bit of that!
Mohamed Salah wraps it up and the roof comes off the famous old stadium once again.
From goalkeeper to goal-poaching master in one fell swoop,
and Liverpool take the three points.
GARY: It's a three points they've richly deserved,
Manchester United have made it really difficult for them in the last 10-15 minutes,
but there's no doubt about the quality and the class Liverpool possess.
Head and shoulders above United really.
It was really epitomised by the way this goal comes about,
the pass from the goalkeeper is exceptional,
then the pace and the strength of Mohamed Salah,
coupled with the calmness and the coolness to put it past the oncoming De Gea,
and Liverpool get the three points they so richly deserve.
Salah on the scoresheet for the first time against Manchester United.
JOHN: What a way to wrap it up,
Liverpool streaking even further ahead at the top of the Premier League table.
They had to wait a long, long time after Virgil van Dijk's 14th minute goal,
but they finally got the second that their play deserved in stoppage time
through Mohamed Salah. United had a right go, but Liverpool deserved to win.
It's tough at the top. The tougher it gets, the tougher Liverpool get.