Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all scored twice on Sunday as Liverpool shrugged off a season of frustration to thrash Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.
Juergen Klopp’s men set a new record margin of victory in the clash between England’s two most successful clubs.
“It was one of the best performances for a long, long time. Everybody saw what the boys can be,” Klopp said. “The second half couldn’t start better. From that moment on we were flying and it was really difficult to play against us.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
Just a second defeat in 23 games in all competitions realistically ends United’s hopes of a first Premier League title in a decade as they remain 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal in third place, but there could be even more lasting damage from a record-equaling defeat for the club in a competitive game and the heaviest since 1931.
“The result is quite obvious. It is unprofessional,” United manager Erik ten Hag said. “There are many things which make me angry. To concede so easy the goals is definitely one.”
Liverpool closed to within three points of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.
Klopp’s side won the two league meetings between the teams by an aggregate score of 9-0 last season, but the tables had seemingly turned this season. A 2-1 win over Liverpool in August last year gave Ten Hag his first win as United boss and his team started the day 10 points clear of their rivals.
Liverpool had looked a shadow of the side that came close to an unprecedented quadruple of trophies last season, but either side of a 5-2 humiliation on home soil by Real Madrid, they have got back in the race for a place in the UEFA Champions League next season thanks to a run of 13 points from a possible 15 in the Premier League.
“Everybody has to feel us. Everybody has to know we are still around,” Klopp said. “That’s what we have to be from now on.”
Ten Hag told his players to embrace the hostile environment of Anfield, where United have not won since 2016, but they crumbled after Gakpo opened the floodgates two minutes before halftime.
Andy Robertson sliced open the United defense to play in the Netherlands international, who cut inside and fired low into the far corner.
Ten Hag’s men were then blown away in the second half as Liverpool’s new-look front three finally clicked.
Nunez punished sloppy United defending as the Uruguayan stooped to head in Harvey Elliott’s cross.
Moments later, Gakpo scored his second with a delightful dink over David de Gea at the end of a lightning Liverpool counterattack.
Salah got the goal his performance deserved as he crashed in Nunez’s through-ball off the underside of the bar.
Nunez then headed in his second as he was left completely unmarked from Jordan Henderson’s cross.
Salah became Liverpool’s outright all-time Premier League goalscorer with 129 with a simple tap-in after more shambolic United defending.
“It’s very special, I can’t lie,” Salah said. “This record was in my mind since I came here. After my first season I was always chasing the record.”
Roberto Firmino is to move on at the end of the season it was revealed on Friday last week, but the Brazilian came off the bench to have the final say as he slotted a remarkable seventh goal two minutes from time.
Earlier on Sunday, Brennan Johnson struck twice to earn Nottingham Forest a vital 2-2 draw against fellow strugglers Everton in the battle for Premier League survival.
Steve Cooper’s side trailed to Demarai Gray’s early penalty at the City Ground before Johnson popped up with the equalizer.
Abdoulaye Doucoure put Everton back in front, but Johnson rescued Forest when he netted again late in the second half.
Forest are unbeaten in their past nine league home games and sit four points clear of the relegation zone, while Everton are third-bottom, below Leeds United on goal-difference, as they fight to avoid playing in the second tier for the first time since 1954.
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