Two goals in each half propelled the Reds to a 4-0 win over Manchester United. The Reds went top of the Premier League as a result, if only for the time being. Moreover, their resounding success at Anfield meant they had scored nine unanswered goals across two league games this season against their bitter rivals, creating an invaluable piece of history in the process.
It took Liverpool five minutes to open the scoring. Dragging Harry Maguire badly out of position, Sadio Mane turned with the ball and fed Mohamed Salah’s run into space; the Egyptian pulled the ball across the penalty box for Luis Diaz to thump it in from close range.
Barely a quarter of the match had been played when the Reds doubled their lead. Mane and Salah combined again, but this time the former fed the latter directly for the goal with an incredible, first-time reverse pass over the United backline. Salah poked the ball past David de Gea to double Liverpool’s lead.
Manchester United changed formations after the break and began to control more of the territory. Jadon Sancho carved out a chance for Marcus Rashford in the 64th minute by running inside the channel and threading the pass through beyond the backline. Rashford’s shot was saved by Alisson, as was Anthony Elanga’s follow-up, but the offside flag had been raised by then.
Liverpool responded by going three goals up four minutes later. Diaz fed Mane with a pin-point ball in the middle of the box, between both of United’s centre-backs; Mane turned the cross past De Gea with his first touch.
And there was still time for Salah to add another to his tally. The Egyptian controlled Diogo Jota’s threaded pass with the outside of his boot, and his subsequent shot took a big deflection off of Aaron Wan Bissaka before looping over De Gea.
Bruno Fernandes escaped a late red card for scything down Trent Alexander-Arnold in frustration. The Attacker showed no intent to win the ball as he knocked down his opponent with a kick to the knee, but referee Martin Atkinson decided against sending him off. Nonetheless, the damage had been done already, as United were left to pick up the pieces after another embarrassing defeat.
