Liverpool's title defence crumbles as VAR controversy and defensive errors fuel 3-2 loss at Manchester United

Key facts

• Liverpool lost 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford, their 11th Premier League defeat of the season.
• Benjamin Sesko's goal in the 14th minute was allowed to stand after a VAR check for handball; referee Darren England and VAR Stuart Attwell faced criticism.
• Kobbie Mainoo scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, completing a league double over Liverpool for the first time since 2015-16.
• Liverpool trailed 2-0 at half-time after goals from Matheus Cunha and Sesko, then equalised through Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo (his 50th for the club).
• Ibrahima Konate admitted the team conceded 'ridiculous goals' and lost too many 50-50 challenges in the first half.
• Manchester United secured Champions League football with the win, while Liverpool remain in danger of missing out with three games left.

A furious manager and a familiar VAR grievance

Arne Slot was livid after the match, banging his fist on the table as he questioned why Benjamin Sesko's early goal was not disallowed for handball. The Dutch manager argued that the ball's trajectory changed upon contact, but referee Darren England and VAR Stuart Attwell let the strike stand. 'If it was a touch, which I think it is, in a ball sport it has a certain curve and it changes it must be a contact, then we should have a debate if that is enough to disallow a goal,' Slot said. He also pointed to a pattern of VAR decisions going against Liverpool this season, recalling a penalty incident against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield. 'I don't think it is a surprise to anyone this season that if there is a VAR intervention it goes against us — it has been the whole season the same,' he added. Former England striker Alan Shearer, speaking on BBC's Match of the Day, agreed that the goal should have been disallowed under the current law.

Defensive lapses and a second-half fightback undone

Liverpool fell behind in the opening quarter of an hour as Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko struck to give United a 2-0 lead. The visitors' defending was ragged, and Slot acknowledged a 'complete pattern' of conceding 'ridiculous goals' throughout the season. At half-time, the dressing-room message was about mentality, according to defender Ibrahima Konate. 'In the first half we lost many challenges on the pitch. When it was 50-50, most of them Manchester [United] won them,' Konate told Liverpoolfc.com. The response was immediate: Dominik Szoboszlai scored two minutes into the second half, and Cody Gakpo equalised with his 50th goal for the club. The momentum seemed to shift, and Liverpool pushed for a winner. But Kobbie Mainoo's 77th-minute strike punctured the revival, leaving the visitors empty-handed.

Konate's lament: 'A big disappointment'

Ibrahima Konate did not hide his frustration after the match, describing the defeat as 'a big disappointment.' He noted that the team had a 'big opportunity to take three points' but failed to capitalise. 'We didn't start the game very well but the second half we started very well,' he said. 'When you were 2-0 down and you come back to 2-2, for sure you have the energy, you have the desire to come back and to win this game. After, we concede the 3-2 and we have to work on it.' The French centre-back stressed the need to understand why the winning goal was conceded and to keep fighting for a Champions League place. With three league matches remaining, Liverpool face Chelsea at Anfield next Saturday, followed by Aston Villa and Brentford.

Manchester United's double and the points gap

The victory completed a league double over Liverpool for Manchester United for the first time since the 2015-16 season. United, who finished 42 points behind Liverpool last season, now look set to finish above Slot's side for the first time since 2022-23. The win also secured Champions League football for Michael Carrick's men, while Liverpool's own qualification hopes hang in the balance. The result at Old Trafford was a stark reminder of how far the defending champions have fallen. Liverpool fans chanted 'champions' throughout the match, referencing their title triumph last season, but the performance on the pitch told a different story.

The road ahead: Champions League battle and summer changes

Liverpool have three games left to secure a top-four finish, starting with a lunchtime clash against Chelsea at Anfield. The team's inconsistency has been a recurring theme, with 11 league defeats already — a tally that would have been unthinkable during last season's title-winning campaign. Slot's side must address both defensive fragility and a reliance on individual moments in attack. Off the pitch, the club is preparing for a summer of change. Reports indicate Liverpool are targeting reinforcements in five key positions, while the future of goalkeeper Alisson Becker has come under scrutiny, with the club reportedly looking for replacements. The exodus of players and the need for a squad overhaul add to the sense of a pivotal off-season ahead.

A season of what-ifs and hard truths

The defeat at Old Trafford encapsulates Liverpool's season: moments of brilliance undermined by systemic errors and a sense of injustice. Slot's outburst about VAR reflects a broader frustration, but his insistence that the team must look at itself is equally telling. The 'ridiculous goals' conceded are not anomalies but part of a pattern that has derailed the title defence. For Manchester United, the double over Liverpool and Champions League qualification represent a significant step forward. For Liverpool, the immediate task is to salvage a top-four finish, but the deeper questions about squad composition and tactical discipline will linger into the summer. As Konate put it, 'We have to work on it, we have to understand why we concede this goal as well and keep going until the end of the season to be in a good position for the Champions League.'

The bottom line

• Liverpool's 11th Premier League loss leaves their Champions League qualification in doubt with three games remaining.
• VAR controversy over Benjamin Sesko's goal reignites debate about the technology's consistency, with manager Arne Slot alleging a season-long bias against his side.
• Ibrahima Konate admitted the team's first-half performance was unacceptable, losing too many duels and conceding 'ridiculous goals.'
• Manchester United completed a league double over Liverpool for the first time since 2015-16 and secured Champions League football.
• Liverpool face a critical summer transfer window, with reports of targeting five positions and potential goalkeeper departures.