So it is with some shock & trepidation that we saw how Liverpool cantered relentlessly to a 5-0 humiliation at the Theatre of Dreams itself; a result never quite seen or heard on football history. United actually started well; and if Bruno Fernandes had scored that good chance; who knows what might have happened?
Before too long though; it was obvious that Liverpool were a class and team apart. With United's pressing game a few steps behind; they moved up seamlessly to see Salah; the assist machine these days; set up the in-form Naby Keita to score the first goal. If that made United's already-shaky defence nervous; it was soon plain to see as another Harry Maguire hesitation saw the in-from Trent Alexander-Arnold cross down the right for Diogo Jota to put Liverpool two up.
The restlessness in the crowd was now plain to see; and it only served to transcend the panic into the players; as another poor positioning from Maguire saw Mohamed Salah turn in Liverpool's third. And the shock & horror reached epic proportions when the visitors managed to score a fourth just before half-time; the in-form Salah scoring at the near post after yet more disappearing tricks from Luke Shaw.
By this time; it was damage limitation exercise from Solksjaer; and his rather-late substitution of Paul Pogba for Mason Greenwood only made things worse; with the Frenchman culpable for Liverpool's fifth via Salah's hat-trick; before a rather harshly-judged two-footed lunge on Keita leading to United being down to 10 men.
If there were any rumours on Solksjaer's imminent departure from the United hot seat; there should be no doubts now.
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