Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai goals ensured Liverpool ruined Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United homecoming with a 2-0 victory at Bramall Lane.
The Dutch centre-backfired home from a first-half corner and Szoboszlai added a second at the death to give the Reds all three points in South Yorkshire to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to eight games.
Jurgen Klopp’s men closed the gap on league leaders Arsenal to just two points.
Wilder was condemned to defeat in his first game back as Blades manager, two-and-a-half years after he left in March 2021, following Tuesday’s sacking of Paul Heckingbottom.
This was United’s 12th defeat from 15 games and although they are only four points behind Luton, they look to have a mountain to climb.
The 56-year-old was given a warm welcome before the game and his side started with enthusiasm, creating two openings in the first 20 minutes.
Cameron Archer led a lightning quick counter-attack and played in James McAtee, who really should have done better than to just poke straight at Caoimhin Kelleher from eight yards out.
It was Archer who had the next chance as he was given space to run in on goal until Van Dijk came across and blocked his shot at the vital moment.
Liverpool were far from their fluent best but began to take control and took the lead in the 37th minute.
Van Dijk was left completely free from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner and he stroked home from 12 yards for his first goal of the season.
The visitors continued to control the game and Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham had to be alert to tip Alexis Mac Allister’s dipping shot over the crossbar before the break.
Foderingham made an even better save 10 minutes into the second half as he showed brilliant reactions to palm over Mohamed Salah’s volley from another Alexander-Arnold corner.
The Blades managed to get a foothold in the game but their lack of quality in attack ensured that Kelleher was untested in the Liverpool goal as he filled in for the injured Allison Becker.
It was the Reds who had chances to kill the game as an incisive pass from the creative Alexander-Arnold played in Darwin Nunez but Foderingham again came to the Blades’ rescue.
United threw bodies forward in the final 10 minutes in a bid to try and earn a point, but they again failed to trouble Kelleher, with McAtee’s early effort their only shot on target in the match.
Instead, it was Liverpool who found a late goal, Szoboszlai clinically firing home after Nunez had won the ball back deep into time added on.
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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