“A shame”, “shambles”, “embarrassing”.
Ex-Manchester United captain Gary Neville didn’t maintain again after watching his former facet torn aside by a devastating Liverpool staff on Sunday.
The 7-0 thrashing was United’s joint-heaviest aggressive defeat – matching these by the identical rating towards Blackburn Rovers in April 1926, Aston Villa in December 1930 and Wolves in December 1931.
Six of the objectives got here in a shocking second-half Liverpool show, with their opponents merely unable – or probably even unwilling – to manage.
Neville singled out captain Bruno Fernandes for particular person criticism.
“The second half has been an absolute shame,” he stated on Sky Sports activities.
“It was a shambles, epitomised by captain Bruno Fernandes, who has been embarrassing at instances.
“They’ve not understood the hazards of this fixture. The Manchester United gamers have been eaten alive on the market.”
Fernandes’ frustration on the occasions unfolding round him turned extra obvious because the half wore on.
At one level, when substitute Stefan Bajcetic skipped previous him by the touchline, he stopped moderately than making an attempt to chase down the younger midfielder.
Neville was additionally angered by Fernandes showing to gesture to the bench when Marcus Rashford was substituted within the eighty fifth minute, probably to query why he was not taken off.
“He’s holding his palms up asking: ‘Why am I not coming off?'” Neville stated in the course of the recreation, earlier than later including: “I’ve had sufficient of Fernandes throwing his arms round, whinging at everybody, holding his face when touched.
“That wasn’t a captain’s efficiency from a Manchester United participant and I’m positive Erik ten Hag will cope with that.
“I’m positive regular service will probably be resumed however they should personal that as a result of that may be a shame.”
Fernandes additionally appeared to offer the referee’s assistant a push, which was identified by some followers on social media.
Fellow former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was equally dismayed by Fernandes’ behaviour.
“Fernandes’ physique language at present was nothing in need of disgraceful,” Keane stated on Sky Sports activities.
“A extremely proficient boy, he is your captain, however his physique language, waving his arms, not operating again… you would not be proud of him in your dressing room.”
Regardless of his response on the pitch, Fernandes did entrance as much as the media afterwards.
“It is rather irritating, disappointing, unhappy as a result of it’s a actually unhealthy outcome,” he stated.
“We had setbacks up to now and we now have to come back again shortly once more. That is what Manchester United are about. We will go down however we now have to get again up.”
What went incorrect for Manchester United?
Every thing. Or not less than it actually felt prefer it.
Keane added that United’s “senior gamers” went “lacking” when the “going received robust” and could be “embarrassed” and “ashamed of their efficiency”.
It got here seven days after the membership gained the Carabao Cup, beating Newcastle at Wembley for a primary trophy since Ten Hag’s arrival as supervisor final Might. The league kind, by and huge, had been robust too: After opening with two defeats, that they had picked up 49 factors from 22 matches earlier than the Anfield annihilation.
However there have been indicators of bother towards Liverpool, even throughout a primary half the place that they had some actually good moments. Casemiro was uncharacteristically sloppy along with his passes. Antony struggled to search out team-mates with a few of his crosses.
And as soon as Liverpool had scored twice within the first 5 minutes of the second half, to take the rating to 3-0, United fell to items.
“No-one was anticipating this,” stated former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Carragher. “That is an absolute battering for United. Liverpool have been absolute gorgeous.
“It was shambolic from Manchester United,. You do not count on this from the Manchester United of now, perhaps of the previous.”
Dion Dublin, who had a two-year spell with Manchester United from 1992, advised BBC Radio 5 Dwell: “I nonetheless assume Manchester United are heading the appropriate means however each participant for Liverpool was excellent.
“United have been simply blown away by it and did not know what to do. They could not management something in midfield.”
‘Liverpool have been like Liverpool of previous’
To focus solely on Manchester United’s failings within the recreation would do a disservice to only how good Liverpool have been.
The Reds reignited their problem for a top-four spot with a efficiency that harked again to a few of their dominant shows in recent times, as they defended strongly and attacked with devastating tempo.
“Within the second half, that was the Liverpool of previous. They have been first to the whole lot,” stated former Reds midfielder Graeme Souness on Sky Sports activities.
“Once you watch the easiest groups, if you watch Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis play at their greatest, you assume they’ve an additional man. That is the way it appeared at present within the second half.”
