The biggest game on the Premier League calendar broke record as Liverpool humiliated Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday, putting seven past their bitter rivals.
The 7-0 scoreless was not only the biggest beating in the history of this fixture; but the 7-0 scoreline equaled the worse defeat ever suffered by United as Liverpool scoring six goals in a truly remarkable second half of football in front of The Kop.
This will be a day that will be remembered forever by everyone who witnessed it at Anfield – even those United supporters who will try to blank it from their memory but will find it impossible – and far beyond.
United boss Erik ten Hag
“Second half it was not us. It was not our standards. We didn’t play as a team,” said Ten Hag.
Asked if he was angry with his side’s second-half display, he added: “Yes, definitely, and surprised because I have seen the last weeks and months a team that is resilient and determined with a winning attitude.
“We didn’t stick to the plan, we lose our heads. We didn’t do our jobs. We didn’t track back and it was really unprofessional.”
“We let the fans down and I’m really disappointed and angry about it.
“It is a reality check… It’s a strong message [that] we get.”
The defeat at Liverpool came a week after Ten Hag won his first trophy with United when they beat Newcastle United to win the Carabao Cup.
“It was a really bad performance and the worst of the year,” said Ten Hag.
“We lost the game at the end of the first half and at the start of the second but you have to keep your head up and we didn’t.
“It’s all about showing discipline and we didn’t, so that’s when you start conceding goals.
“It’s a really unprofessional performance and unnecessary. You have to do your jobs and we didn’t.”
“It is a reality check… It’s a strong message [that] we get.”
The defeat at Liverpool came a week after Ten Hag won his first trophy with United when they beat Newcastle United to win the Carabao Cup.
“It was a really bad performance and the worst of the year,” said Ten Hag.
“We lost the game at the end of the first half and at the start of the second but you have to keep your head up and we didn’t.
“It’s all about showing discipline and we didn’t, so that’s when you start conceding goals.
“It’s a really unprofessional performance and unnecessary. You have to do your jobs and we didn’t.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called the win against United a “special” result considering the “lower level of confidence” his team had against Ten Hag’s side after the different campaigns both teams have had this season.
“It sounds like a game from another season, it doesn’t really fit into this season so far,” said Klopp.
“It’s so incredibly important for us. We need results and for that you need performances and tonight we got both. The start of the game was super-dominant and super-flexible.
“We know the result is a freak but the performance was outstanding and that is what I take.
“A few months ago, everyone thought it was a good moment to play Liverpool – you can’t say it publicly but everyone thought it – because they felt we were struggling a lot, but now it is less of a good moment. We look much more like ourselves.
“It is important that everybody knows we are still here and we are still alive. We have to keep going.”
It was a very special day for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, whose two goals made him Liverpool’s record Premier League scorer with 129, overtaking Robbie Fowler despite playing 61 fewer games.
Salah’s record shows the seismic impact he has had from pretty much the first day he arrived at Liverpool from Roma in June 2017 – and yet here he also took his place in what Klopp is building for the future.
Klopp has rebuilt his attack with Mo Salah on the right, o the left Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo down the middle. It took a while for Nunez and Gakpo to adjust to Klopp and the Premier League, but their performance against United was their best of the season and hinted at the potency and promise within the next incarnation of Klopp’s forward line.
Despite struggling for most of the season, Klopp’s side are now an ominous presence to the likes of Tottenham and Newcastle United in the fight for a top-four place.
Liverpool are only three points behind Spurs, who lost at Wolves on Saturday, while Newcastle look to be fading after a fine first few months of the season.
Can Liverpool finish in the top four this season? On this form it will be difficult to bet against them.
