Man Utd vs Liverpool: Mainoo celebrates new contract with match-winner in 5-goal thriller

Manchester United cemented their spot in the UCL places for next season with an impressive 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

United raced into a commanding two-goal lead within 15 minutes.

Matheus Cunha opened the scoring with a deflected strike before Benjamin Sesko pounced on a parried Bruno Fernandes header to double the advantage.

Liverpool struggled to cope with the hosts' intensity and were fortunate to reach halftime only two goals down.

However, the second half saw a stunning, albeit brief, Liverpool resurgence fueled by United errors. Dominik Szoboszlai capitalized on an Amad Diallo giveaway to pull one back before Cody Gakpo tapped into an empty net following a Senne Lammens mistake.

With the momentum shifted, United rallied late; Kobbie Mainoo, who just signed a new contract, swept home a clinical finish from the edge of the box to restore the lead.

The Red Devils held firm to clinch a top-five finish, while Liverpool maintain a six-point cushion in the race for Champions League football.