Manchester United football director John Murtough has stepped down from his post and will leave the club this week after more than 10 years’ service, as the INEOS-led restructure of sporting operations at Old Trafford continues.

The investment into United by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the appointments he is making to key roles produced an expectation that Murtough would depart or be offered a different position.

But in a move now set to be officially confirmed, Murtough has decided to stand aside altogether and let the new set-up take shape.

Murtough will effectively be replaced by Dan Ashworth, once the Newcastle United sporting director’s spell of gardening leave finishes, while Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox is on course to be named technical director.

Liverpool were leading Manchester United 1-0 at half-time thanks to a goal from Luis Diaz. But they were pegged back by Bruno Fernandes and then trailed 2-1 courtesy of another stunning strike, this time from Kobbie Mainoo. But Mohamed Salah equalised from the spot to rescue a point.

After watching Manchester City and Arsenal successfully negotiate tough away day fixtures at Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively on Saturday afternoon, the Reds kne that only three points will return them to the top of the table.

Jurgen Klopp's side were also hoping to avenge last month's gut-wrenching FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Old Trafford, a game in which they had Erik ten Hag's team at their mercy but failed to land the killer blow.

But they certainly did that in the 23rd minute here as Diaz finished smartly from close range after a well-worked corner. However, Liverpool boss Klopp will have been disappointed his side were not further in front at half-time. Incredibly, they had 15 shots to United's zero in the opening period.

And his mood would have worsened when Fernandes equalised in the 50th minute, the midfielder scoring from inside the centre circle after spotting Caoimhin Kelleher off his line following a mistake from Jarell Quansah.

In the 67th minute United took the lead through a brilliant, curling effort from Mainoo, and that was the way it stayed until the 84th minute when Salah coolly converted a penalty

Alejandro Garnacho scored Manchester United’s second goal, then perched on an advertising board and beckoned Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo to come and sit alongside him.

It was quite the sight to hearten the home fans at Old Trafford: the 21-year-old Hojlund, the 19-year-old Garnacho and Mainoo, 18, sitting in a line and smiling.

The future might be bright for United after all.

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford scored the opening goal and Kobbie Mainoo netted a superb late winner as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League game at Molineux on Thursday.

Left out of United's 4-2 Cup win over Newport County by manager Erik ten Hag, Rashford marked his return by rattling home the opening goal after five minutes against Wolves and and he helped Luke Shaw tee up Rasmus Hojlund for the second in the 22nd minute.

Manchester United twice gave up one-goal leads in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Sunday, a disappointing result for Erik ten Hag's team who are desperately trying to climb up the Premier League standings.

Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur scored for Spurs, who remain fifth in the table, level with fourth-placed Arsenal on 40 points but having played a game more. United climbed a spot to seventh, but are eight points adrift of the top four.

What a time for Rasmus Højlund to break a 14-match Premier League duck: on 82 minutes, his left-foot volley pinballed in off Emiliano Martínez’s right-hand post to bring sheer delight to the young striker. It brought relief for Erik ten Hag too and began the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era of partial ownership of Manchester United in precisely the same fashion that preceded it: breathless and chaotic.

Højlund’s intervention came after Alejandro Garnacho had equalised on 71 minutes, via, too, his left boot. Before this, boos had greeted Aston Villa’s second strike and these, plus the sight of a stony-faced Sir Dave Brailsford watching United’s opening 45-minute debacle, threatened to tell the very sorry tale of a fifth defeat of December

Scott McTominay was the hero of the day with his double salvo against Chelsea on Wednesday night, but the Scottish international was quick to praise a training tweak from his boss Erik ten Hag ahead of the game.

United have come under fire in recent weeks for their inconsistent form which has seen them struggle in games, notably giving up a 2-0 lead at Galatasaray and struggling at Newcastle.

Prior to victory over the Blues, United had only won five of their previous 10 games, losing four and drawing once, with their erratic form seeing them struggle for fluidity.

#garnacho #manchesterunited

Match report as Onana misjudges two Hakim Ziyech free-kicks after early goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes; Scott McTominay struck in second half as United looked primed for crucial Group A win but Kerem Akturkoglu's stunner means they remain in bottom place

Captain Bruno Fernandes scored a stoppage-time winner against Fulham to alleviate the pressure on Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

Manchester United's faltering season suffered another significant blow as Marcus Rashford's red card contributed to a dramatic, qualification-damaging Champions League defeat by FC Copenhagen.

In a wild and wonderful contest in the Danish capital, United showed guile and grit for periods and twice looked to have claimed a crucial win before succumbing late on to a goal from 17-year-old substitute Roony Bardghji.

In a disappointing game of few chances, Scott McTominay thought he had given the visitors an eighth-minute lead, but it was ruled out for offside after referee John Brooks viewed it on the pitchside monitor.

Fernandes, before his winner, forced Leno into an acrobatic save while Andre Onana made two saves to deny Harry Wilson and Joao Palhinha.

Up until the dramatic finish, United struggled to make an impact, while their injury problems continued when Marcus Rashford failed a fitness test before the match on a leg injury.

Rashford had been criticised by Ten Hag on the eve of the match, with the United boss describing the England forward's birthday celebrations after last week's 3-0 defeat by Manchester City as "unacceptable".

Harry Maguire played the full match despite suffering a head injury early on, while the game was stopped on a couple of further occasions so the defender could be checked

Sir Bobby Charlton will for ever be associated with the European Cup. It was the root of his two most significant days as a Manchester United player, making Copenhagen’s visit to Old Trafford a perfect night for respects to be paid to a legend.

Charlton survived the plane crash in Munich on the way back from a match against Red Star Belgrade in 1958 and a decade later he scored in the 4-1 final triumph over Benfica. Overcoming adversity was key but did not define his life – his medals and humility did that.

There was never any doubt the minute’s silence would be impeccably observed by all inside Old Trafford, many in the stand named after their late hero. The roar once the referee’s whistle had blown a reminder of what a European night means to United, thanks to Charlton making the club synonymous with the competition.