Manchester United fell to their joint-worst league defeat in club history on Sunday, losing 7-0 to Liverpool on Sunday.
The Red Devils were abysmal at Anfield and conceded six in an remarkable second half that was completely out of charachter with the side who picked up silverware just seven days ago.
It was the hosts who started on the front foot, with Lisandro Martinez blocking three goalbound shots in the opening stages, the best of which denied Darwin Nunez from testing David de Gea with a flick from a driven cross. Mohamed Salah also curled wide while an Antony effort that was palmed away by Alisson was the best moment in the opening quarter of the game for United.
On 42 minutes, United did put the ball in the back of the net via a Casemiro header, but it was correctly ruled out for offside by the referee’s assistant. And just before the break Liverpool found the game’s opening goal, as Robertson’s defence-splitting pass picked out Cody Gakpo at the edge of the area. The Dutchman took a touch inside before he curled an excellent shot into the bottom corner.
Almost immediately after the break it was 2-0 as Nunez headed in from Harvey Elliott’s cross into the box following some weak defending from United. Within three minutes Liverpool had added another after a counter-attack goal that began with Jordan Henderson in the Liverpool box. It was Gakpo who got his name on the scoresheet again thanks to a delightful chip over De Gea from a narrow angle, just seconds after Salah had twisted and turned, putting Martinez on the floor in the process.
It could have been 4-0 with Robertson shooting wide inside the box while Ibrahima Konate should have hit the target with a dangerous header. Yet it took until the 66th minute for the next goal to come, when again scrappy defensive work presented Salah with a golden opportunity inside the box, and the winger fired the bouncing ball past De Gea with his right foot.
The visitors were shell shocked, with so many players looking lost. The fifth felt inevitable and it was Nunez who scored it after he rose highest in the box and flicked the ball into the back of the net.
The goals just kept coming - Salah smashed a sixth past De Gea late on before substitute Roberto Firmino’s shot squirmed through the legs of De Gea in the 88th minute to make it 7-0.
1. David de Gea- 2
Beaten too easily for Gakpo’s second and Firmino’s goal.
2. Diogo Dalot- 2
Not at the races and Liverpool seemed to exploit the weaknesses in Dalot’s game, particularly in the first half.
3. Raphael Varane- 4
Not among United’s worst performers, but it was an off-sorts evening for the World Cup winner.
4. Lisandro Martinez- 3 (off 77)
Was atrocious after the break. The no.6 was humiliated for Gakpo’s second as he slipped and hit the deck after being turned by the Egyptian. Martinez looked like being sent off before he was replaced late on.