Liverpool’s deadly front three bags brace each as Liverpool humiliate Manchester United with a heavy 7-0 defeat at Anfield.
Despite a first-leg win over Liverpool at Old Trafford and parading a relatively better team than the Reds, Erik Ten Hag faced an uphill task traveling to Anfield.
Manchester United have not been able to eke out a win from their last six trips to Anfield, losing three and drawing three.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have picked form in the Premier League dropping only two points in the last four matches and are currently making inroads into the top-four race.
Having rotated the squad in the FA Cup win over West Ham, Erik Ten Hag reverted to the lineup he used in the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle.
Manchester United starting Lineup: David de Gea; Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Fred, Casemiro; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford; Wout Weghorst.
Jurgen Klopp altered the squad that grabbed a late win over Wolves in their last game, bringing in Robertson and Henderson in place of Tsimikas and Bajcetic.
Liverpool Starting Lineup: Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andrew Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Harvey Elliott; Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool dominated proceedings as the first half began but United looked more deadly going forward.
The Reds had good control of the ball but failed to create any clear chance. At the edge of the Manchester United’s box, it was a deadlock.
Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane made good their blocks, not allowing the Reds to record a single shot on target.
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp had to worry about Manchester United’s fast-paced attacks and counters when they had the ball.
The Red Devils were dangerous when charging forward. Allison was forced to make the first save of the game after he pointed out Antony’s strike in the 9th minute.
In the 42nd minute, Manchester United had the ball on the net but the goal was ruled offside. Fernandez had whipped in a freekick from the left wing into the box. Casemiro nodded in the ball, but the Brazil international mistimed his run and had the goal chalked off as offside.
Just a minute after Manchester United’s offside goal, Liverpool finally took the lead in the 43rd minute. Robertson tore apart Manchester United’s defense with a through-ball for Gakpo.
The former PSV Eindhoven player dribbled off Raphael Varane and fired a low shot into the bottom right corner to put the Reds in front before going into the first-half break.
It was a shocking rout by Liverpool in the second half.
Just two minutes into the second half, Manchester United’s defensive blunders made the Red Devils give away a cheap goal. Luke Shaw and Casemiro conceded possession cheaply allowing Elliot to put a cross through to Nunez who headed home to double the lead.
Three minutes after Liverpool’s second goal, the home side made it 3-0 in the 50th minute.
A quick counter-attack saw Liverpool Salah beat Martinez and rolled a pass to Gakpo who produce a great dinked finish to bag his brace.
Liverpool continued in the rout after the third goal. In the 66th minute, the Reds launched another quick counter after a Manchester United corner with Salah’s right-footed volley, making it 4-0 for the Reds.
In the 75th minute, Darwin Nunez bagged his brace with a deft header to make it 5-0 for Liverpool. The margin was getting embarrassing for the Red Devils.
With 7 minutes of regulation time left, Mo Salah also hit his brace firing into an empty net to make it 6-0 for Liverpool. There was a VAR call after the goal but it was allowed to stand after the check
Firmino joined the rout in the 88th minute, tucking home a beautiful finish to make it 7-0 for Liverpool.
It was another embarrassing display by the Red Devils after their 4-0 defeat to Brentford early in the season. Erik Ten Hag looked clueless on the touchlines as Liverpool tore the Red Devils apart at Anfield.
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