WELL how many of you predicted that result?

Last week’s column, in hindsight, looks rather reserved with an outcome slightly favouring Liverpool, as they were at home. A bit off the mark with that one.

But how much really?

Now, Manchester United had the kind of day in the office not seen by anyone since Wall Street stockbrokers back in 1929. They lost their shape, their professionalism and maybe worst of all, their pride, in a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

But, to be fair to United and their boss Erik ten Hag, up until they conceded their first goal, things were going relatively to plan. They had weathered the Liverpool early storm without too much obvious threat and were starting to dominate their own possession.

Skill

But what followed was a perfect storm of skill, circumstance, and bad luck that blew United away. Firstly, to give Liverpool their credit, let’s talk about their skill in this match. This may be best exemplified in the two Cody Gakpo goals. The first goal was mostly about the approach. Andy Robertson picked up the possession just inside the United half of the field and quickly spotted the young Dutch winger, who cannily pointed to the exact spot he wanted the ball presented, which Robertson expertly delivered. The ball allowed Gakpo to turn Raphaël Varane, offering an angle to curve the ball around a stranded David De Gea.

Gakpo’s second goal was even sweeter for Liverpool fans. Again the approach was special, as Mo Salah’s jinxing run actually made Lisandro Martinez run the wrong way before putting the World Cup winning defender on his ass. Salah set up Gakpo but the young Dutchman still had a lot to do from a very acute angle to but the ball away. But he did so and at that stage United were reeling.

The timing and circumstances of the goals were another factor. It is often said that goals before, or straight after, half time are crucial and that Liverpool got them both, from Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, effectively sealed the points at a crucial time.

Luck

Then there was Liverpool’s luck on the day. It seemed that any time a United player or defender attempted a touch or tackle on the ball it went straight to a Liverpool opponent. It was farcical in some situations. Scott McTominay did well to get the ball away from Fabinho in midfield, only for his touch to spill perfectly for Salah to fire home Liverpool’s fourth. Then there was the pinball debacle in defence for Liverpool’s sixth, when poor old Luke Shaw managed to hit every one of his team-mates in his attempt to clear the ball only for it to roll to Salah again for his club-record finish.

It was bad luck, but credit to Liverpool here too as their pressure on United players on the ball certainly made mistakes more probable.

Tactics

And this is maybe the most telling part of the game. While it is admirable for a manager and their team to play ‘their own game’, no matter what the opposition, maybe ten Hag should have varied attacking formation for this visit. Once United felt comfortable to go forward they played into the now classic and lethal counterattack by Liverpool. It’s telling that four of Liverpool’s goals came from catching United in possession in the Liverpool half. Most notably being the, above mentioned, Gakpo second goal which came from a Man United corner.

Sure the United players must take responsibility for their part in the defeat, especially when they dropped their collective heads and allowed Liverpool overrun them. But ten Hag, who I praised for his tactical nous when the sides met back in August, did little, this time, it seems to predict or change the situation unfolding.

They played into the hands of Liverpool, who like nothing more than a side willing to overextend themselves in the commitment to attack, leaving themselves open in the back. The respect United showed for Liverpool’s counterattacking abilities exhibited in Old Trafford back in August would have been a far better strategy to use again at Anfield.

Maybe the form and recent cup success lulled United into thinking that they were in a better position than they really are. Allowing themselves to be caught by a Liverpool side, whose eulogy has been prematurely delivered.

Next

I really think that Sunday’s scoreline was a freakish event and United can certainly spring back from. They are not the finished product and still have work to do. The big worry for fans and ten Hag being the abject collapse in shape and morale after the third goal. That type of reaction needs to be weeded out immediately before it takes root.

For Liverpool it was another one of those sensational evenings they do best. But they cannot rest on their laurels. One only has to recall the 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth, saw them 10 days later humbled at Napoli, a 7-1 humiliation of Rangers, 10 days after, saw them turned over by lowly Nottingham Forest. While consecutive fine 2-0 victories over Everton and Newcastle, led into a 5-2 humiliation against Real Madrid.

There is still no denying they have issues in midfield, which were not exploited by United. But for Jurgen Klopp and his team they can bank the goodwill of a victory over the hated United and hope that they don’t ironically stumble today against Bournemouth, the side they scored nine against at Anfield in August.