Manchester United lifted the mood of crisis around manager Erik ten Hag by securing a battling point against Liverpool at Anfield.
In a mediocre encounter, United stopped the rot that had been spreading after the heavy home loss to Bournemouth and a tame Champions League exit rubber-stamped by Bayern Munich at Old Trafford.
While this was hardly a classic display from injury-hit United, who had Diogo Dalot sent off in stoppage time, Ten Hag had cause to be much happier than Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp whose side missed a chance to return to the top of the Premier League.
United keeper Andre Onana made one fine first-half save from Virgil van Dijk, while Rasmus Hojlund had the visitors' best chance in the second half but saw his shot blocked at the near post by Liverpool's Alisson.
Liverpool dominated possession but were too often wasteful and had to settle for a point, not enough to overhaul Arsenal whose earlier win against Brighton took them to the summit.
Liverpool left frustrated
This was a red-letter day in the history of Liverpool's famous old stadium as the new top deck of the Anfield Road Stand was in use for the first time.
It made the attendance of 57,158 the biggest for any Liverpool home game since the FA Cup tie against Burnley in February 1963 and the third largest at home in their league history.
This was not a game to match the landmark.
Liverpool went into this encounter with their arch-rivals as overwhelming favourites after their rise to the top of the table and United's own struggles, but the reaction at the final whistle made it clear this was two points lost for Klopp's side rather than one gained.
The hosts came out at lightning speed, clearly determined to shatter United's fragile confidence, but they lost momentum as this became an undistinguished, scrappy game, almost devoid of real quality.
Liverpool's 69% of possession was reflected in 34 shots, but too much of their work was wayward, laboured and kept out by a resilient United defensive performance.
And there was no late show to snatch victory, which has been a Liverpool trademark in a season that has brought victories but only intermittently seen Klopp's men touch the heights.
Even Mohamed Salah was unable to produce a piece of magic and when the big moment came late on, substitute Cody Gakpo headed over when unmarked.
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Liverpool
Squad number1Player nameAlisson
Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold
Squad number5Player nameKonaté
Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
Squad number21Player nameTsimikas
Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlai
Squad number3Player nameEndo
Squad number38Player nameGravenberch
Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
Squad number9Player nameNúñez
Squad number7Player nameDíaz
Squad number2Player nameGomez
Squad number17Player nameJones
Squad number18Player nameGakpo
Squad number19Player nameElliott
Manchester United
Squad number24Player nameOnana
Squad number20Player nameDiogo Dalot
Squad number35Player nameEvans
Squad number19Player nameVarane
Squad number23Player nameShaw
Squad number37Player nameMainoo
Squad number4Player nameS Amrabat
Squad number21Player nameAntony
Squad number39Player nameMcTominay
Squad number17Player nameGarnacho
Squad number11Player nameHøjlund
Squad number10Player nameRashford
Squad number28Player namePellistri
Squad number46Player nameMejbri
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
1Alisson66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk21Tsimikas8SzoboszlaiSubstituted forGomezat 61'minutes3EndoBooked at 45mins38GravenberchSubstituted forGakpoat 61'minutes11Salah9NúñezBooked at 21minsSubstituted forElliottat 78'minutes7DíazSubstituted forJonesat 78'minutesSubstitutes
2Gomez13Adrián17Jones18Gakpo19Elliott53McConnell62Kelleher78Quansah84BradleyMan Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
24Onana20DalotBooked at 90mins35Evans19Varane23ShawBooked at 88mins37MainooBooked at 27minsSubstituted forMejbriat 82'minutes4S AmrabatBooked at 35mins21AntonySubstituted forPellistriat 82'minutes39McTominay17GarnachoSubstituted forRashfordat 71'minutesBooked at 90mins11HøjlundSubstitutes
1Bayindir10Rashford15Reguilón28Pellistri29Wan-Bissaka34van de Beek44Gore46Mejbri53KambwalaLive Text
Match ends, Liverpool 0, Manchester United 0.
Second Half ends, Liverpool 0, Manchester United 0.
Second yellow card to Diogo Dalot (Manchester United).
Diogo Dalot (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt missed. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a set piece situation.
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kostas Tsimikas (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).
Wataru Endo (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United).
Foul by Joe Gomez (Liverpool).
Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
Wataru Endo (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Hannibal Mejbri (Manchester United).
Attempt missed. Joe Gomez (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Attempt missed. Curtis Jones (Liverpool) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Cody Gakpo.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Raphaël Varane.