Things of note:
*United, playing a 4-1-4-1, retain this shape while defending. There are four clear lines (four defenders, one holding mid, four midfielders, one central striker) with good spacing between the lines, and good spacing between each player in the two main lines. Note that players at this level pay as much attention to their teammates as to the opponent or the ball. The only way to keep proper shape and spacing is by knowing where your teammates are.
There is obviously much more freedom of movement when in possession of the ball. But quickly getting back into defensive shape after losing the ball is the hallmark of good teams. Mourinho's teams are always excellent at this, as are Van Gaal's, Ancelotti's, and Simeone's.
*All five midfielders are behind the ball. I can't stress this enough: It takes high work rate to play in midfield. That's why it's the position with the most sub-swapping. If you don't need a rest after fifteen or twenty minutes, you probably aren't getting forward when we attack and getting behind the ball when we defend.
*Wayne Rooney has dropped deep enough to be an easy pass option when his team wins the ball (but not so deep that he is no longer an outlet), and has not allowed a defender to get in-between him and his teammates. If that happened, he would continue to move side-to-side, to make sure he is in an available passing lane.
*No player is wider on the weak side than Daley Blind, and he is only just outside the arc of the penalty box - in other words, he is still relatively central. The idea is to stay compact to whatever side of the pitch the ball is on (strong side). Even if Liverpool get a player wide on the weak side and hit the perfect switch pass to him, United have the time the ball is in the air to shift their position to cover. Thus, there would be no need for Blind to go man-mark a Liverpool player, if one had gone into space on the right wing.
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