January 5th 2025.
In a thrilling match between Manchester United and Liverpool, Harry Maguire missed a golden opportunity to secure a victory for his team. The disappointment on Gary Neville's face was evident as he watched Maguire squander the chance that could have led to an unlikely win against the Premier League leaders.
The first half of the game was goalless but full of entertainment as both bitter rivals battled it out on the field. However, the second half saw the game come to life as Cody Gakpo equalized Liverpool's stunning opener with a superb strike for Manchester United at Anfield. Mohamed Salah then converted a penalty to level the score, but Amad Diallo's equalizer brought back the momentum for the visitors.
Even after a thrilling finish, the two teams could not be separated at the end of 90 minutes. And it was Maguire who will be regretting his missed opportunity at the death. The defender was left unmarked near the goal but somehow managed to fire the ball over from a point-blank range. As replays showed the ball bouncing awkwardly before Maguire's attempt, Neville, on commentary duty for Sky Sports, was left in disbelief.
"Oh my god! I can't believe it," exclaimed the former United and England right-back. "It may have been offside, but Harry Maguire couldn't have known that. The ball bobbled into him, and he had to work hard to control it, but unfortunately, it ended up halfway up his shin."
Maguire's reaction said it all as he held his head in his hands after the missed chance. But it was Amad Diallo's equalizer in the 80th minute that saved the day for the visitors. Providing his expert analysis on the 2-2 draw, Neville praised the thrilling match and noted that there have been disappointments in the past, with four goalless draws in the last eight games between these two teams.
Before the game, Roy Keane had urged Manchester United to show some passion, and Neville was pleased to see that they did just that. The team displayed great spirit, along with quality play, and Neville believes they deserved more than a draw. However, it was Maguire's missed chance that could have won them the game.
"Liverpool are still in a great position for the title," said Neville. "But this was a proper match, and both teams wanted to win it, with no one parking the bus at the end. It was a fair result in the end, and credit to both teams."
Keane, who was speaking from the Sky Sports studio, couldn't help but imagine what could have been if Maguire had scored that goal. However, he was pleased with the team's spirited performance, especially after four consecutive defeats in all competitions.
"Listen, it would have been amazing if they could have won it at the end, but they showed plenty of fighting spirit," Keane said. "That's what I asked for at the start of the game, and the bonus was the quality of play, with two goals and a chance to win it at the end."
He added, "Credit to Manchester United, and well done to both teams for a thrilling match. It was a fair result, with two big clubs going at it, and no one holding back. That's the beauty of football."
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