LIVERPOOL 4, MAN UNITED 0
Manchester United’s two hefty Premier League defeats to Liverpool this season underlines just how far behind their arch-rivals.
The gulf in class between these two giants of the English game was palpable as Ralf Rangnick’s side embarrassingly claimed an unwanted record as Liverpool became the first club to put eight goals past them in the Premier League era.
It later became nine as Liverpool followed their 5-0 success at Old Trafford with an equally emphatic victory on home soil as they enjoyed 72 per cent possession and 14 goal attempts to United’s two.
Two goals from Mohamed Salah, who ended his goal drought in style, and one apiece for Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane saw Liverpool leapfrog Manchester City into top spot for at least 24 hours.
For United it was another setback in their pursuit of fourth place as Champions League football next season is looking increasingly remote – they are now sixth in the table.
Former player Roy Keane, now a television pundit and a fierce critic of the current side, said: “It’s not anger now, it’s sadness. There are no leaders, they lack quality.
“There is disarray at the club from the top. They need a new manager, they need players in and players out. It’s so sad to see. It’s not the club I played for. It’s chalk and cheese.
“I don’t see a Manchester United team out there fighting and with pride.
“There’s no surprise at the result. Over the two games this season it’s 9-0 to Liverpool. United are so far off it – the opposite of what you want in a top team.
“There is no leadership, no characters, no fight, no determination. It’s a long way back for this club. Whatever we had when I played – that bit of pride – has gone.”
And former Liverpool great Graeme Souness added: “Under pressure Manchester United just couldn’t keep the ball. If you come to Anfield and want to have any chance of getting a result you have to be able to keep the ball and they just couldn’t do that.
“This is a truly fabulous Liverpool team and they are on the brink of true greatness.
“There isn’t a Manchester United player that would get in this Liverpool team. United are a truly enormous club but how far they’ve been allowed to drift was exposed tonight.”
“This is the biggest game in English football and Liverpool were sensational.
“But Manchester United were not very good so they didn’t have a lot to play against. No energy, no aggression in that midfield. Show a bit of fire, make it difficult – but they didn’t.
“For the past decade United have made poor footballing decisions but the exact opposite to that is Liverpool, who seem to have done everything right in terms of who they keep, getting rid of players at the right time. For 10 years United have consistently got it wrong when it comes to who they sign and who they keep. Good luck to the new manager – where do you start with that lot?”
Embed from Getty ImagesRangnick admitted: “It is embarrassing, it is disappointing, maybe even humiliating. We have to accept they are six years ahead of us now.
“When Jurgen Klopp came they changed at the club and lifted not just the team but the club and city to a new level. That is what needs to happen with us in the next transfer windows.
“You have to look at the squad Jurgen has now compared to when he arrived and they were eighth, roughly the same position as ourselves.
“Look at Liverpool’s squad and who they had on the bench and the fact Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino and Elliott weren’t involved. Liverpool have 25 Formula One racing cars in their squad.
“They have better players than us, and that is reflected in the result.
“We need six, seven, eight, maybe 10 new players and before we get them the new manager will know how the players will fit into the profile of his team.”
Reflecting on the game, Rangnick explained: “The first half, we were just not good enough. We did not win any first ball or second balls. We were second best in all relevant areas. Second half we changed a centre-back with Jadon Sancho. The first 25 minutes we were better and had pressure on the ball at times. Had two or three moments, but the third goal killed the game off.”
Rangnick added the absence of all their defensive midfield players and ball winners did not help their cause.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described it as a “top-class performance”.
“I am not here to embarrass them. It won’t last for ever and they will strike back,” replied Klopp to a question about United’s decline.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not feature for United following the death of his baby son with the players from both sides wearing black armbands as a mark of respect.
Centre-back Phil Jones started as interim manager Rangnick made four changes from the team which started Saturday’s 3-2 Premier League win against Norwich.
Jones, making only his second league appearance since January 2020, was one of three centre-backs, while full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, midfielder Nemanja Matic and striker Marcus Rashford also started.
As well as Ronaldo being absent, United were without the injured Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Fred, and Edinson Cavani.
Klopp made only two changes from Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City.
Jordan Henderson returned to captain the side and made his 400th career league appearance.
The England midfielder replaced Naby Keita, while the other swap saw centre-back Joel Matip come in for Ibrahima Konate.
There was no Roberto Firmino who was ruled out through a minor foot injury.
United made a dream start making the breakthrough in only the fifth minute.
Mane released Salah who burst down the right before squaring a low pass to Diaz to sweep home from six yards, his fourth goal for the club since his January move.
Ironically, only three seconds separated Diaz’s goal with Naby Keita’s opener in Liverpool’s 5-0 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
There was a fan-led one minute’s applause in the seventh minute – Ronaldo’s number – as they sent their support.
The bitter rivalry between these two giants was put to one side as they both united as their thoughts were with Ronaldo as the home supporters sang their anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
And in the wake of a minority of City fans being disrespectful on Saturday at Wembley for the minute’s silence to remember the 97 who died at Hillsborough, it was uplifting to see supporters come together as one.
United’s start was made even more challenging when they lost Paul Pogba to injury inside 10 minutes as he was replaced by Jesse Lingard.
Liverpool doubled their lead midway through the half as Salah ended an 865-minute goal drought from open play.
Mane lofted the most delightful ball over the United defence as the Egyptian ran through to slot home a low shot from 10 yards, ending a run of seven games without a goal.
It was his 29th goal of the season for Liverpool, but only his second in the last 13 appearances.
The quality of some of Liverpool’s play was outrageous such as the move which led to Diaz finding the net again only to have it chalked out for offside.
In an embarrassingly one-sided opening half, Liverpool had 76 per cent possession and nine goal attempts to none, the first time in four years this has happened in an opening 45 minutes.
United made a change at the start of the second half as Jadon Sancho replaced Jones.
There was a delay of almost five minutes as referee Martin Atkinson had to leave the field as he appeared to have a malfunctioning radio.
United played with far more intensity from the restart as they began to press, something they failed to do in the opening half as they forced Liverpool out of their comfort zone.
They finally managed a goal attempt in the 55th minute, but Sancho’s weak shot was easily saved by Alisson Becker.
Sancho was driving United forward and he carved out an opening as Marcus Rashford was denied by Alisson as was Anthony Elanga’s follow-up shot.
Mane, a key figure in the build up to the opening two goals, was rewarded as he scored Liverpool’s third with 22 minutes left.
Andrew Robertson burst forward before Diaz took charge and square a ball from the left for Mane to sweep home with a first-time shot low to the left of De Gea, his 19th of the season.
United’s final change with six minutes left saw Elanga make way for Hannibal Mejbri for only his second senior appearance for the Tunisian.
Salah was on target again in the 84th minute when he made it 4-0.
Substitute Diogo Jota’s fabulous diagonal pass split United’s defence as Salah raced through and dinked a delightful shot over De Gea with the aid of a deflection off Wan-Bissaka.
By this time, many of United’s dejected travelling fans had already left for home.