Man Utd beat Liverpool to secure Champions League place

Kobbie Mainoo celebrated his new contract by scoring the winner that swept Manchester United back into the Champions League as they clinched a five-goal thriller against Liverpool at Old Trafford.

United led 2-0 at the break, thanks to early goals from Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

However, Liverpool turned the contest on its head immediately after half-time as Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo capitalised on errors to level.

But in a frenzied finish, Liverpool failed to clear Luke Shaw’s cross and the ball fell kindly for Mainoo on the edge of the area and he crashed a first-time effort into the bottom corner.

It came three days after Mainoo signed a new five-year contract at United – in a season when he did not start a league game under former boss Ruben Amorim.

In a game missed by Sir Alex Ferguson, who was taken from the ground in an ambulance as a precaution after feeling unwell, the victory confirmed United’s return to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence and means Liverpool still need four points to confirm their spot.

Almost as important in meetings between England’s two most successful clubs, this win gave United bragging rights thanks to their first league double over Liverpool since 2015-16.

That can only strengthen Michael Carrick’s claim to be appointed head coach on a permanent basis.

Carrick has now beaten Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea to complete a clean sweep of England’s ‘Super League’ clubs.