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Football

19th Apr 2022

Liverpool hammer Man United 4-0 at Anfield and return to the top of the Premier League

Robert Redmond

Liverpool 4-0 Man United.

Liverpool hammered Manchester United at Anfield on Tuesday night in a dominant performance for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Reds returned to the top of the Premier League table with the victory and humiliated their rivals in the process.

Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah (2) and Sadio Mane scored for the home side. For Man United, it was another embarrassing evening in what has been a disastrous season.

Liverpool United

Liverpool v Man United: First half.

If Man United came into the game hoping to keep things tight for the first half an hour and silence the crowd at Anfield, their plan was in ruins after just five minutes.

Liverpool cut their opponents open with a flowing move from back to front.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah exchanged passes and pulled United out of position.

Sadio Mane released Salah and Alexander-Arnold with a defence-splitting pass. Salah reached the ball first and crossed for Luis Diaz to score.

It was wonderful football from Liverpool, aided by a disjointed and muddled United, who looked uncertain playing in a back-three.

Paul Pogba went off with a knock a few minutes later and was replaced by Jesse Lingard, but the pattern of the match remained the same.

Liverpool were in control and United were chasing shadows. After 20 minutes of the match, the home side had an astonishing 73 per cent of the possession, and the visitors were hanging on. Thiago Alcantara was effortlessly running things in midfield and the only respite United received was when the ball went out of play.

After 22 minutes, Liverpool doubled their lead. Salah brilliantly finished off another excellent move after being played in on goal by a stunning pass from Mane.

United had no response. They didn’t even manage a shot in the first half and their switch to a back three had been as successful as Ed Woodward’s stint as executive vice-chairman.

Liverpool, meanwhile, were as brilliant as United were terrible.

The team’s front three of Mane, Salah and Diaz would have been too good for almost any team in the world, never mind a side featuring a back three of Harry Maguire, Phil Jones and Victor Lindelof.

Thiago was the best player on the pitch.

Liverpool v Man United: Second half.

In the second half, United switched to a back four and replaced Phil Jones with Jadon Sancho, who had the team’s first shot on target in the match when he tested Alisson.

Liverpool appeared to become complacent as United marginally grew into the game and looked to be restoring some pride.

However, Ralf Rangnick’s side didn’t find a breakthrough and Liverpool took advantage.

Andy Robertson cut out Lindelof’s pass and sprinted forward into United’s half before laying the ball off to Diaz.

The Colombian forward picked out Mane in the penalty area and the Liverpool number 10 guided his left-footed shot beyond David de Gea into the bottom corner.

Salah added his second, and Liverpool’s fourth five minutes from full-time.

Liverpool’s starting front three all scored and registered an assist each on a flawless night for Klopp’s side as they returned to the top of the table.

For Man United, it was another humiliating night in what has been their worst season since the 1970s. Here is how we rated the players.

Liverpool v Man United: Player ratings.

Liverpool.

Alisson: 7

Trent Alexander-Arnold: 8

Joel Matip: 8

Virgil van Dijk: 8

Robertson: 8

Fabinho: 8

Jordan Henderson: 8

Thiago Alcantara: 10

Mohamed Salah: 9

Sadio Mane: 9

Luis Diaz: 9

Substitutes.

Diogo Jota: 8

Naby Keita: 6

Man United.

De Gea: 4

Dalot: 3

Maguire: 2

Lindelof: 3

Jones: 3

Wan-Bissaka: 2

Matic: 3

Pogba: N/A

Fernandes: 2

Elanga: 3

Rashford: 2

Substitutes.

Jesse Lingard: 3

Hannibal Mejbri: 5.

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