On this day in 2021, Liverpool humiliated Manchester United with a 5-0 victory at Old Trafford. Here’s how Paul Gorst described it in his match analysis.
In 2021, Liverpool visited Old Trafford and changed the course of history on this day. The team led by Jurgen Klopp defeated Manchester United 5-0.
The Reds ran roughshod over their opponents, soaring to a 4-0 lead by halftime. After the half, Mohamed Salah completed his hat-trick for a historic victory.
With hindsight, the first of many, many Manchester United mistakes came half an hour before kick-off.
James’ Sit Down, the adopted tribute to Mohamed Salah, was playing during the pre-match playlist at Old Trafford, giving Liverpool supporters in the away end the chance to sing along to their star player as he warmed up.
The world’s best player was watching as the student error sparked a confident away end. Salah scored three goals in less than an hour, giving Liverpool a 5-0 lead.
The question that remains is whether or not this expertly designed and coached club is in some way superior to the one that won the Premier League championship in July 2020 by 18 points.
The idea that Liverpool was the best team on the earth was widely accepted back then, but this current team appears more ruthless, clinical, and in control. Back then, domestic success was attained via a teak-tough mentality and sheer willpower.
Rarely did that 2019–20 vintage decimate teams the way they are doing at the moment—almost weekly.
Liverpool has scored at least three goals in every away game this season, and they have now scored 41 goals in just 13 games in all competitions.
Even though there are more competitors at the top, Jurgen Klopp won’t be concerned about such comparisons, but the Reds appear to be just as dominant.
However, they won’t be thinking about United. According to this evidence, Liverpool is ahead of the other team by the widest margin ever during the Premier League era.
The team Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent a lot of money assembling is rudderless, and the Norwegian manager is clearly out of his element with no sign of an armband.
Never was that more evident than in this situation, when Klopp’s team delivered a performance and a result that will last a very, very long time.
There is no doubt that they will continue to discuss this for a long time.
When Salah released the powerful Naby Keita, who made no mistakes against David de Gea, Liverpool took the lead after just five minutes.
The Reds undoubtedly couldn’t believe their good fortune because the goal was so straightforward.
Salah was given too much room, but the hosts’ poor defensive performance wasn’t an isolated incident; seconds later, Liverpool struck back through Diogo Jota.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw messed up, so Keita rushed and fed Trent Alexander-Arnold, who found James Milner and Jota at the back post with a low cross.
Salah scored the third goal after calmly finishing Keita’s low cross from the right side, and he added a second goal in the last seconds of the first half.
Close-ups on television of players like Maguire, Paul Pogba, and—most tellingly—Solskjaer said it all.
They couldn’t believe what was happening during a first half that will favourably compare to any other from the Klopp era, and they were completely shell-shocked.
Five minutes into the second half, a brilliant pass from the great Jordan Henderson put Salah in position to win the game-winning goal.
It was his 15th goal of the year, and even though he still has a ways to go to match his 44-goal season from three years ago, the Liverpool No. 11 seems determined to give it his all.
The opposing depictions of the two clubs’ respective knights of the realm were enough to fill several chapters if a picture is worth a thousand words.
Alex Ferguson’s wrath, amazement, and confusion were plainly visible, but Sir Kenny Dalglish’s ecstatic smile spoke it all about Liverpool.
At halftime, the sight of United supporters filing through the exit doors revealed exactly how awful the afternoon had been for the home crowd as well.
For those who persisted, things didn’t get any better either.
Around the hour mark, Paul Pogba received a red card for a terrible challenge he made on Keita, who had to be carried away.
The Guinean international suffered harsh fate after giving a powerful effort in the middle of the pitch.
It was the kind of performance that might still turn out to be a turning point for him at Anfield. But now he must wait anxiously to hear about his most recent injuries.
The away supporters yelled, “Can we play you every week?” as they revelled in one of their most delightful away days in years.