On a day that will be remembered for years to come, Liverpool FC humbled their old rivals Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield.
Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah each scored twice to bury United’s faint Premier League title hopes.
Gakpo, signed in the January window from PSV, announced his arrival in style with two sublime goals on his first appearance in this famous rivalry. Nunez and Salah added to the humbling, with Salah becoming Liverpool’s record Premier League scorer. Substitute Roberto Firmino also got in on the act, making it a day of vindication for manager Jurgen Klopp.
Simply incredible. pic.twitter.com/teYSuCFFIX
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 5, 2023
Liverpool dominated possession in the early stages of the game, but the key chances in the opening half-hour were created by United. They were let down by poor finishing, with Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford both missing gilt-edged chances.
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The breakthrough came just before half-time, as Gakpo cut in from the left and beat Raphael Varane before driving a 12-yard strike into the far corner. Liverpool made a dream start to the second half, with Nunez nodding in from close range after sloppy United defending.
The third goal was a masterpiece of Liverpool’s attacking prowess. Jordan Henderson fed Gakpo just outside the hosts’ penalty area, and the Dutchman released Salah on the right.
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Salah drew in the United defense, allowing Gakpo to run into space and chip the ball past David De Gea from a tight angle.
It was a stunning display of attacking football from Liverpool, with Salah, Nunez, and Gakpo all getting on the scoresheet. United was in total disarray, and Firmino drilled a seventh to compound their misery.
The win takes Liverpool above Newcastle United and into fifth place, while United remains third in the table but trails leaders Arsenal by 14 points. Klopp sees Gakpo and Nunez as vital to the team’s future, and their performances against United will have given him plenty of encouragement.
For United, this will be a day to forget. Seven days after winning the EFL Cup at Wembley, they were abject and outclassed by a rampant Liverpool side. With only 13 games remaining, their title hopes are all but over, and they face a battle to secure a top-four finish.