The tide is shifting in the Champions League race as Liverpool are up to fifth in the table following an absolute thrashing of rival Manchester United on Sunday, 7-0. A brace from Mohamed Salah saw him become Liverpool's top-ever Premier League scorer with 129 goals passing Robbie Fowler's 128. Ian Rush is still Liverpool's top-ever league scorer with 229 goals. Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo also scored two goals each while Roberto Firmino got the seventh off the bench.
Coming into the match, a United result felt like a formality despite the game taking place at Anfield but it was clear from the first kick that Liverpool were up for the match. United were hanging on by a thread early due to impressive defending by Lisandro Martinez but once Gakpo opened the scoring before the close of the first half, Liverpool couldn't be stopped in a six-goal second half.
United were unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions before going to Anfield but everything fell apart. The victory gives Liverpool quite a boost in goal difference as the Reds now have the third best in the league after the match. While there were concerns over how the team has performed in year seven under Jurgen Klopp, matches like this show that the team still has what it takes and that the new-look front three are gaining an understanding with each.
It's a concerning loss for a Manchester United side gaining plaudits for their mentality when the match was winnable but after conceding a second goal after the break, heads dropped and players switched off while Liverpool drove forward. This was recognized by ten Hag as well.
"I think we played a decent first half. One mistake in the organization just before halftime. Second half it was just not us. It was not our standards. We didn't play as a team. It was unprofessional. Yes [I am angry]. Definitely," ten Hag said after the match. "I am surprised because I have seen the last weeks and months this team is resilient and has a winning attitude. Second half we didn't have a winning attitude at all. We didn't stick to the plan and we didn't do our jobs. We didn't track back and it was really unprofessional."
Losing matches like this can deal a psychological blow to teams and now ten Hag will need to make sure that doesn't happen.
Here are some numbers behind the match:
3: Times that Liverpool have scored seven or more goals this season
If you're looking for Liverpool statistical records, this game doesn't even catch their largest Premier League margin of victory which was a 9-0 defeat of Bournemouth back in August of 2022. A boom or bust attack, the Reds have also put seven past Rangers in Champions League before finally scoring seven against Manchester United Sunday. These results are why even though Liverpool have lost games by multiple goals to teams like Wolverhampton, they still have the third-best goal difference in the Premier League.
+9: Goal differential over Tottenham
Liverpool have surged up the table and with a game in hand on Tottenham, the Reds can be back in the top four by April if matches continue to break their way. Taking advantage of losses by both Tottenham and Newcastle, this could be a shift that sees Liverpool back in the top four sooner than later as they are now just three points back. But this result gives them such a leg up in goal differential, and that could be the ultimate tiebreaker come season's end. Left out of the conversation as recently as February when they lost to Wolves, Klopp has ensured that his team maintains focus on the prize at hand.
3: Players with braces in the match
Unlocking Nunez and Gakpo has been a challenge for Klopp this season but against United, he struck a balance with excellence. Interchanging from the wing and playing centrally, Nunez and Gakpo had a great understanding of space while blitzing Diogo Dalot down the flanks with ease. Both looking to Salah when needed and taking their shots, the duo showed that Liverpool's attack should be feared if given space.
United didn't help themselves turning the ball over in key areas but we've seen the Liverpool attack squander good chances in the past. If those days are behind them, look out.
