Kobbie Mainoo was the hero as Manchester United clinched a top-five Premier League finish with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Following AFC Bournemouth’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace earlier on Sunday, the Red Devils needed one point to be certain of UEFA Champions League qualification for next season.

The Red Devils looked like taking all three points comfortably when Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko put them 2-0 up inside 14 minutes, though goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo – the latter stemming from an error by goalkeeper Senne Lammens – saw Liverpool level at 2-2.

But Mainoo, who signed a new five-year contract with Man Utd earlier this week, settled the encounter with a well-placed strike into the bottom-left corner in the 77th minute.

Michael Carrick’s side remain third on 64 points, but are now six points clear of Liverpool, who still need a maximum of four points to join their rivals in securing a top-five finish.

How the match unfolded

Cunha rewarded Man Utd’s early positivity after six minutes when his initial drive was blocked by Ryan Gravenberch, but his follow-up found the corner via a deflection off Alexis Mac Allister.

And the hosts turned their momentum into a second goal. Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman got a hand to Bruno Fernandes’ back-post header, only to push it against Sesko and in, with the goal surviving a VAR check for handball.

Gakpo went close from distance, and Man Utd missed a glorious chance to take a 3-0 lead into half-time, as Fernandes hammered wide on the volley.

Just two minutes into the second half, Liverpool were back in the contest, with Szoboszlai carrying the ball from deep before shimmying past Harry Maguire and slotting home.

Florian Wirtz then stroked wide, before Lammens’ mistake gifted Liverpool a 56th-minute equaliser. Mac Allister latched onto the goalkeeper’s loose pass and found Szoboszlai, who immediately teed up Gakpo for a first-time finish.

Lammens atoned slightly by preventing an own goal from Luke Shaw, and Man Utd made the most of that reprieve when Mac Allister’s weak clearance fell to Mainoo, who finished sweetly from 20 yards to secure the victory.