On October 18th, at 9:30 AM Pacific Time, the eighth round of the 2025-26 Premier League season kicked off. Defending champions Liverpool lost 1-2 to Manchester United at Anfield, suffering their fourth consecutive defeat and dropping to third in the Premier League standings, four points behind leaders Arsenal. Manchester United secured their second consecutive Premier League win, rising to ninth place in the standings, two points behind the top four. Mbeke Mbeke scored a last-gasp goal after 61 seconds, and Gakpo, who had hit the woodwork three times, equalized in the 78th minute. Bruno Fernandes assisted Maguire's header in the 84th minute for the winning goal.

Liverpool's goalkeepers, Alisson and Leoni, were sidelined due to injury, with Wirtz and Ekitik on the bench. Van Dijk anchored the defense, while Salah and Isak led the attack. For Manchester United, Lisandro Martínez was sidelined due to injury, with Sheshko on the bench, while Mbomo and Cunha started.

Manchester United got off to a dream start 61 seconds into the game. Amad's through ball found Mbomo from the right side of the six-yard box, who faced Mamardashvili with a low shot into the near corner, making it 1-0! Mbomo scored his first goal in five games, his second in the league this season and his third in all competitions. This was also the fastest league goal conceded at Anfield since 2019.

In the 14th minute, Salah sent in a free kick from the left, and Van Dijk's header from the back went wide of the right post. In the 18th minute, Gakpo's cross from the left side of the penalty area was blocked by Amad's arm inside the box. Liverpool players called out to the referee, but referee Oliver ignored it. In the 21st minute, Salah made a diagonal pass, and Gakpo's shot from the left side of the penalty area hit the far right post. In the 24th minute, Ahmad made a back pass from the right side of the penalty area, and Bruno Fernandes' shot from the right side of the penalty spot was also blocked by the right post. In the 26th minute, Soboslai passed directly, and McAllister's low shot from the top of the penalty area was saved by Ramens.

In the 27th minute, Mbomo's shot from the penalty area was saved by Mamardashvili, and then Mount's shot from the left side of the penalty area was also saved by the Liverpool goalkeeper. In the 29th minute, Kerkazy's cross from the left frontcourt was cleared by the defender, and Isaac's low shot from the right side of the penalty spot missed the target in the bottom left corner. In the 32nd minute, Gakpo's shot from the left side of the penalty area hit the right post. In the 32nd minute, Gakpo made a cross from the left frontcourt, and Salah's header from the back post was saved by Ramens.

In the 35th minute, Konate passed the ball from long range, and Isaac advanced to a one-on-one opportunity. His low shot from the right side of the penalty area was blocked by Ramens. In the 39th minute, Bradley crossed from the right frontcourt, and Van Dijk's header from the back post was again saved by Ramens. In the 40th minute, Liverpool players complained that Ramens had touched the ball twice in the penalty area, but referee Oliver again ignored it. In the 42nd minute, Bruno Fernandes passed the ball through, and Cunha's shot from the right edge of the penalty area went wide of the left post. At the end of the first half, Liverpool trailed Manchester United 0-1 at home and went into the break.

The second half resumed. In the 50th minute, Salah crossed from the right frontcourt, and Gakpo unloaded the ball from the left side of the penalty area and shot into the far corner, but the ball hit the right post. In the 52nd minute, Ahmad was given a yellow card for a tackle on Gakpo. In the 54th minute, Gakpo crossed from the left corner, and Salah's volley from the right side of the six-yard box went wide of the near post. In the 55th minute, Salah passed the ball to Isaac, whose shot from the right side of the penalty area was blocked by a defender and went out of bounds. In the 57th minute, Casemiro received a yellow card for a tactical foul on Salah. In the 58th minute, Manchester United replaced Casemiro with Ugarte and Ahmad with Dogu.

In the 60th minute, Salah assisted a pass, and McAllister's shot from the right side of the penalty area went wide of the right post. In the 61st minute, Manchester United replaced Mount with Sheshko, while Liverpool replaced McAllister, Gravenberch with Ekitik, Jones with Jones, and Bradley with Wirtz. In the 63rd minute, Dogu passed the ball to Bruno Fernandes, whose shot from the left side of the penalty area was blocked by a defender. In the 64th minute, Gakpo passed the ball to Ekitik, who shot from the left side of the penalty area but missed the target. In the 65th minute, Kerkazy crossed from the left frontcourt, and Salah, unguarded at the back post, shot wide of the near post.

In the 67th minute, Dalot's corner kick was met by Sheshko, who headed the ball wide of the left post. In the 69th minute, Wirtz passed the ball to Ekitik, who fired a low shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it went wide of the right post. In the 72nd minute, Liverpool brought on Chiesa for Isaac. In the 76th minute, Wirtz passed the ball to Jones, who fired a low shot from the left side of the penalty area, but it was saved by Ramens. A minute later, Soboslai crossed the ball, and Gakpo's header was blocked by a defender.

In the 78th minute, Liverpool equalized. Wirtz's through ball was met by Chiesa from the left side of the six-yard box, and Gakpo's shot from the center netted into the open net, 1-1! Gakpo scored his third goal of the season.

In the 83rd minute, Sheshko passed the ball to Cunha, who fired a shot from the left side of the six-yard box, but it was blocked by a defender. In the 84th minute, Bruno Fernandes took a corner kick from the left side, but Mbombo's powerful shot from the edge of the box was blocked by a defender. Bruno Fernandes then crossed from the left side of the box, and Maguire headed home from the back post to give Manchester United the lead again, 2-1! Maguire scored his first Premier League goal of the season, and his second in all competitions this season.

In the 85th minute, Manchester United brought on Menou and Yoro for Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw, respectively, while Liverpool brought on Frimpong for Salah. In the 87th minute, Frimpong crossed from the right side of the box, and Gakpo headed the ball wide of the left post from the back post into an open goal. In the 88th minute, Mbombo sent in a free kick from the left frontcourt, and De Ligt headed it over the crossbar. In the second minute of stoppage time, Soboslai's corner kick was met by Konate's header, which was blocked by a defender. Ultimately, Liverpool lost 0-1 to Manchester United at home, suffering their fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

Both starting lineups:

• Liverpool (4-2-3-1): 25-Mamardashvili / 12-Bradley (62 minutes, 7-Wiltz), 4-Van Dijk, 5-Konate, 6-Kerkeze / 10-McAllister (62 minutes, 22-Ekitik), 38-Gravenberch (62 minutes, 17-Jones) / 11-Salah (85 minutes, 30-Frimpon), 8-Soboslai, 18-Gakpo / 9-Isak (72 minutes, 14-Chiesa)
• Manchester United (3-4-2-1): 31-Ramens / 4-De Ligt, 5-Maguire, 23-Luke Shaw (85 minutes, 15-Yoro) / 2-Dalot, 8-Bryan Fee (85 minutes, 37-Menou), 18-Casemiro (58 minutes) 25-Ugarte), 16-Amad (59 minutes 13-Dogu) / 19-Mbomo, 7-Mount (61 minutes 30-Sheshko) / 10-Cunha