Analysis: Mainoo the hero as fans hail Carrick

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There could be no more fitting scorer of such an important goal.

Manchester United officials are adamant there was no chance of Kobbie Mainoo being allowed to leave on loan in the summer window, as he wanted to amid keen interest from Napoli.

But some very serious conversations would have been had towards the end of the winter window if Ruben Amorim had not been sacked.

It will forever be the scar on Amorim's time at the club that he could not find a place for Mainoo in his starting line-up in the league this season.

He did not need to prove it was a bad call but Mainoo's goal - the precision strike, the celebration that followed, United as a club milking the adulation surrounding an academy graduate - showed the error up for what it was.

Not that it was all plain sailing.

If there was any need for United fans to understand this current team is still not at the level required to compete for major honours, the first 15 minutes of the second half provided it.

The party atmosphere that swept around Old Trafford at half-time as the gleeful home supporters celebrated what they felt was certain to be a comprehensive victory over their rivals was replaced by the equivalent of a slap round the face with a wet dishcloth.

Michael Carrick could only watch in disbelief as his previously sure-footed team collapsed.

Half-time substitute Amad Diallo had only been on the field for two minutes when he played a square pass just inside the Liverpool half to , who was then allowed to run 50 yards with no challenge.