Man United beats Liverpool 3-2, returns to Champions League after two years

By  JAMES ROBSONMonday May 4, 2026

Manchester United is back among Europe’s elite.

Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool ensured United’s return to the Champions League after a two-year wait, sealing the club’s place in next season’s top-tier continental competition in dramatic fashion.

Kobbie Mainoo delivered the decisive blow in a tense Premier League showdown at Old Trafford, firing first time from the edge of the area after defending champion Liverpool had clawed its way back from two goals down.

The result also brought head coach Michael Carrick the objective he was given in January when he took the job through the end of the season. He has hauled United away from freefall, lifted them to third in the table and collected eye-catching wins over Arsenal, Manchester City and now Liverpool.

Sunday’s triumph will only intensify the pressure on United’s hierarchy to hand Carrick the role permanently.

“When Michael comes, he came with magic. Alex Ferguson vibes,” United forward Matheus Cunha said, invoking the club’s legendary former manager. “At the end of the day, this is just the start of the journey. It’s the beginning, a beautiful beginning.”

Ferguson had intended to attend the match at Old Trafford but left the stadium and went to hospital as a precaution after feeling unwell before kickoff.

That United clinched Champions League qualification against its fiercest rival only heightened the sense of occasion after the final whistle. It was the first time United has completed a league double over the Merseyside club since the 2015-16 season.

United now sits six points clear of fourth-placed Liverpool with three matches remaining. The gap underscores how far Carrick’s side has come from last season, when it finished 42 points behind Arne Slot’s title-winning team.

‘A good run’

Since Carrick was appointed on Jan. 13, United has collected 32 points from 14 matches, more than any other Premier League side over that span.

“It’s been a good run. We’ve beaten some very, very good teams and it’s been challenging,” he said. “I love doing what I’m doing. It’s a great position for me to be in and it feels pretty natural if I’m totally honest.”

United handed Carrick the job until season’s end to give the club time to consider coaching options after Ruben Amorim was dismissed in January. The 20-time English champion has not lifted the title since Ferguson retired in 2013 and has turned to six permanent managers or head coaches since then.

Carrick has consistently brushed aside questions about what comes next beyond the current campaign.

On and off the pitch, his team is making a case for him.

“You want to follow him, you want to fight for him, you want to die for him on the pitch,” Mainoo told Sky Sports.

United made the ideal start, with Cunha opening the scoring in the sixth minute with a left-footed finish from inside the penalty area. Benjamin Sesko added a second in the 14th minute by bundling the ball in from close range.

United’s early superiority should have produced more, with Bruno Fernandes missing a good chance to make it 3-0.

But the match flipped after halftime. Dominik Szoboszlai reduced the deficit two minutes into the second half, and a defensive mix-up from United allowed Cody Gakpo to level in the 56th minute.

United then steadied itself, and Mainoo’s strike sent Old Trafford into full celebration.

The defeat leaves Liverpool still not assured of a Champions League place next season with three rounds left.

“The reality at this point is that it’s been a very disappointing season, below the standards of Liverpool,” captain Virgil van Dijk said. “We shouldn’t accept it, but it is the reality. We have to get Champions League football for next year. After the World Cup we have to build to a much better – a much better – season than we’re having.”

Crucial win for Tottenham

Tottenham moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa.

It was Spurs’ second straight league victory, their first such run since the opening two games of the season. The result lifted Roberto Di Zerbi’s side a point above relegation rival West Ham and out of the drop zone.

Conor Gallagher and Richarlison struck in the first half to continue De Zerbi’s strong start since taking charge in March. Emiliano Buendia, coming off the bench, netted a stoppage-time consolation for Villa.

After failing to win a league match in 2026 before De Zerbi’s arrival, Tottenham has now taken seven points from a possible nine.

Bournemouth’s Champions League bid

Bournemouth earlier bolstered its improbable bid for Champions League qualification with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Bournemouth is sixth in the table, and the top five are assured of Champions League spots. That could stretch to the top six if Villa wins the Europa League and finishes fifth.