Man United won at Anfield for the first time since 2016.
Roy Keane questioned Virgil van Dijk’s performance as Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
Harry Maguire scored a late winner for Ruben Amorim’s side as the Red Devils won at the home of their bitter rivals for the first time since 2016. Liverpool suffered their fourth consecutive loss.
Man United took the lead after just one minute through Bryan Mbeumo.
Bruno Fernandes collected the ball in midfield from Virgil van Dijk’s clearance and played a pass out to Amad Diallo on the wing.
Diallo slipped a perfect pass through to Mbeumo, who continued his run and fired the ball past Giorgi Mamardashvili with a right-foot shot.
Van Dijk, who previously collided with Alexis Mac Allister, allowed the Man United forward to run unchallenged into the box.
Liverpool felt that the goal should have been ruled out due to Mac Allister’s head injury, but the referee, Michael Oliver, allowed it to stand.
“STAGGERING START!”
One minute on the clock and Mbeumo gives Man Utd the lead at Anfield! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xOtXAcVYgp
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2025
The home side played their way back into the game and equalised with 12 minutes to go through Cody Gakpo. At that point, it looked like Arne Slot’s side would grab the winning goal.
Man United, however, scored a dramatic winning goal.
Bruno Fernandes hit an inch-perfect volley into the penalty area and found Harry Maguire, who guided the ball into the net with a well-placed header.
Amorim’s team held on to claim all three points and condemned Liverpool to a third-straight Premier League defeat.
Keane Questions Van Dijk After Liverpool Lose to Man United.
Following the match, Liverpool captain Van Dijk tried to explain how his side lost and why they are going through such a poor spell of form.
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“I think we conceded a very sloppy second goal,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.
“We worked so hard to get back into the game, and we created great opportunities to score the winner, but if you concede a second goal like that, that is the disappointing part.
“If you look at the game as a whole, we were far too rushed. I think they were very patient; they didn’t press us high, but they didn’t let us on the ball. We still created many opportunities to score, but the reality is that we lost.”
Van Dijk was asked about the first Man United goal, when he failed to track Mbeumo after colliding with Mac Allister.
“I think the ball went long, first header was a United player, second by me. My elbow hit the player, and he goes down and I went down. That angle, it was difficult to score, and he did. There was plenty of football left to be played [and score] and we didn’t.
“We need to stay humble and stay working, and keep our confidence as high as possible. When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It is a long season.”
“We conceded a very sloppy second goal…”
Virgil van Dijk admits Liverpool made too many poor decisions in their defeat to Man Utd 😬 pic.twitter.com/mpZSIW9AlI
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2025
Roy Keane, however, felt that Van Dijk needed to look at his own role in the defeat, and that if he was a Liverpool player, he would be questioning the club’s captain.
“I’d be looking at him,” Keane said about Van Dijk on Sky Sports.
“When you’re a centre half and you’re a big player, last year we were on about who was going to stay, and he signed a big contract, then you’re giving up loads of goals. I’d be looking at him and asking, ‘What are you doing?’
“Particularly as a big leader of the team. A couple of years ago, we talked about United parking the bus here, and we were critical. Now they’ve scored two today, and two last year, and you’re the centre half.
“Always start with the man in the mirror.
“Van Dijk, if you’re the centre half and your team are all of a sudden giving up loads of goals, and you’ve got new people coming to your club, you’ve got to have a good look at yourself and think, ‘Am I really helping people?'”
You can watch Keane speak about Van Dijk below.
“Always start with the man in the mirror’ 🪞
Roy Keane discusses Virgil van Dijk’s performance against Man Utd ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/qdZhtLkWcI
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 19, 2025