3 Manchester United stars who need to come in following Liverpool defeat

Manchester United suffered their most miserable moment under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer yesterday.

Five times Liverpool rippled David De Gea’s net without reply on Sunday afternoon.

The Theatre of Dreams became the stuff of nightmares for those United fans who felt brave enough to enter through Old Trafford’s pearly gates.

Naby Keita scored after just five minutes, foreshadowing an afternoon of one-way traffic from the away side.

Diogo Jota doubled Liverpool’s lead, before Mohammed Salah struck the first of his hattrick display shortly before the break.

A total defensive capitulation aided the Reds’ whitewash, not to mention Paul Pogba’s red card on the hour.

Joy for Jurgen Klopp; total disappear for his opposite number.

Changes must be made by Solskjaer if United are to reverse their fortunes, which might mean ruffling a few feathers.

Edinson Cavani came on for the last half an hour against Liverpool with the home side already 5-0 down and a man light.

What is an aging striker meant to do in such dire circumstances?

Other than chase a few loose ends and defend a couple of corners, the Uruguayan was nothing but a spare part in the dismantled wheel.

But, given a chance from the get-go, Cavani can be a lethal weapon, as demonstrated in the past.

He certainly provides a better press than Cristiano Ronaldo, whose lack of work rate has come under serious fire recently.

Would Solskjaer really risk angering CR7 for the good of the team? A difficult decision, but one that may need to occur.

In the darkest of times for United, it seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel for Donny van de Beek.

The Dutchman has played a mere five minutes of league football this campaign.

For a £35m (BBC) player, that return is simply inexcusable.

But none of the blame can be put on Van de Beek’s shoulders.

He can’t simply substitute himself onto the pitch.

Obviously, Solskjaer sees more of the 24-year-old than any of us.

Yet, something must be seriously wrong if he couldn’t even make a cameo appearance when the fixture was dead and buried against Liverpool.

With Pogba now suspended, there is a potential opening in the midfield for Van de Beek to fill.

His performance can’t be much more mediocre than the combined contributions of Fred and Scott McTominay.

United need an energy boost from somewhere.

There aren’t many in the modern game who can match Jesse Lingard’s enthusiasm, definitely not off the pitch anyway.

Solskjaer could do with harnessing Lingard’s zest to lift the squad and also give the England international some well-needed minutes.

He provides an excellent link between midfield and attack, something Solskjaer’s group missed entirely versus their red counterparts.

His ability to harass opponents cannot be undermined either.

Someone out of the front four has to make way at some point.

Based on the weekend’s display, any one of them could be replaced by Lingard.