Liverpool showed the gulf in class between the Anfield side and Manchester United to win on Tuesday and do the double over the Old Trafford outfit for the first time since 2013/14.
Goals from Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane proved the difference in a majorly one-sided affair. The Red Devils’ best moments of the night came as the Reds lulled Ralf Rangnick’s men into a false sense of confidence at 2-0, before inflicting pain on the rivals.
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Jurgen Klopp’s men pulled Manchester United apart at ease with the visiting side rarely up to the fight. While the 4-0 scoreline means Liverpool became the first club to score at least eight goals against the Red Devils in a season after winning 5-0 at Old Trafford in October.
The Merseysiders’ win is also just the sixth time a club has done the double over the Red Devils without conceding a single goal. Liverpool had also inflected two of the previous five occasions – during the 2000/01 term and under Brendan Rodgers in the 2013/14 season.
No side dominated the encounter in-between 2013/14 and ‘21/22, with Liverpool winning just three and Manchester United five of their 14 matches. Just one of the Red Devils’ wins has also come since 2016, after winning four on the spin after Rodgers’ double triumph.
Klopp has already hailed the current Liverpool squad as the best he has worked with since replacing Rodgers in 2015. Only Jordan Henderson remains from the line-up Rodgers used to beat the Red Devils in March 2014, but other members of his plans make a combined XI.
GK – Alisson
Liverpool set a new transfer record for goalkeepers when they paid Roma £67m for Alisson in 2018. The Brazilian has proven his value since as one of the Premier League’s best with a stream of key saves. So, he easily edges out Simon Mignolet for the role of shot-stopper.
RB – Alexander-Arnold
Rodgers utilised Glen Johnson at right-back to beat David Moyes’ Manchester United. But the former England international would not be first-choice in Klopp’s plans ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the Three Lions talent a key component at both ends of the pitch.
Alexander-Arnold coped well with his defensive duties when challenged by Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford. He also supplements the Reds’ attack with his sublime passing range and helps apply pressure from the front, to allow the Anfield side chances to break quickly.
CB – Van Dijk, Agger
Virgil van Dijk and Daniel Agger would combine for a formidable central defensive pairing at Liverpool from their 2013/14 and 2021/22 sides. The former is a dominant presence in the air and rarely gets beaten on the ground. Even when he does, he often makes amends.
As for Agger, the Dane’s ability on the ball allowed the Reds to play out from the back. He had a high technical ability for a centre-half, boasted a fierce shot and was also a leader.
LB – Robertson
One of the surprise features of Rodgers’ Liverpool side that beat Manchester United in March 2014 was Jon Flanagan at left-back. Jose Enrique started at Anfield in September 2013, but neither would start ahead of current occupant Andrew Robertson under Klopp.
The Scot can be susceptible defensively, but his attacking traits outweigh what the likes of Van Dijk can cover. His forward runs particularly caused the Red Devils issues and limited what they could try on the wing at Anfield under their interim manager Rangnick.
CM – Gerrard, Thiago, Fabinho
Henderson may be the only Liverpool player to beat Manchester United under both Klopp and Rodgers, but the Reds captain would miss out in a combined XI to the man he took the armband from. Anfield icon Steven Gerrard was the all-round technician Henderson is not.
Klopp duo Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho would start ahead of Rodgers’ anchor Lucas Leiva and Henderson, beside Gerrard, too. The Spaniard was a magician on Merseyside to tease the Old Trafford natives, while Fabinho mopped up the tackles to silence Bruno Fernandes.
RW – Salah
Manchester United visited Liverpool on Tuesday likely hoping Salah would have another off night. But the Egypt winger rediscovered his form to assist the opener and score the second goal of the game. He would again hit the scoresheet five minutes from full-time.
The 29-year-old now has 22 goals after 30 Premier League games this season and 30 in all competitions from 42. All 12 of Salah’s assists so far this term have come in the top-flight.
ST – Suarez
Luis Diaz has been a sensation for Liverpool since his £37.5m rising to £50m transfer from Porto in January. The Colombian hit his fourth goal and second assist against Rangnick’s side. But another Luis would lead the Reds line against Manchester United in Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan scored 82 goals and assisted 46 in 133 games after a £22.5m transfer from Ajax to Anfield in 2011. Suarez struck one of his Liverpool goals to round out the scoring in a 3-0 win for Rodgers’ side against Manchester United after two Gerrard penalties in 2014.
LW – Mane
Sadio Mane would lay claim to the left-wing role in a combined Liverpool XI of Klopp and Rodgers’ Manchester United double beaters. The Senegal star dropped off the attack to collect possession and free Salah to create as Diaz broke the deadlock after five minutes.
He also played a brilliant ball for Salah to end his eight-game goal drought, before getting on the scoresheet himself. The Red Devils were starting to gain some momentum, but he put an end to any hopes of a comeback with a perfectly placed shot past David de Gea.
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