Liverpool thrashed Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday as Mohamed Salah scored a hat trick to put pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
By halftime, United had conceded four goals, the largest margin in their history at that stage of a match, and looked disjointed as Salah, Jota, and Keita all scored.
Salah scored his third goal moments before Paul Pogba was sent off for a dangerous tackle in the second half.
“I think it is great to win 5-0 here, we knew before the game it would be tough if we did not play our game,” Salah said after the game.
“We knew they would come and try to give everything, so we had to give 100 percent.
“We just tried to play our football and play in between the lines to create more chances. We did that and were lucky to score.
“As long as the team keep winning I am happy and to give my best to the team to win.”
After just four minutes, Bruno Fernandes had the chance to open the scoring for United, but blasted his effort over the crossbar.
A five minute scare became a goal for Liverpool when poor defending from United saw Luke Shaw try to mark Salah, Keita, and Andy Robertson. Salah passed the ball to Keita, who hit it past David de Gea.
The Red Devils were guilty of poor defending on 13 minutes, when Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed low into the area and Jota stretched to finish.
Salah scored his first goal on 38 minutes with a low side foot past De Gea and his second five minutes into added time at the end of the first half with a superb strike from the corner of the box.
Five minutes into the second half, the Egypt international completed his hat trick.
The three goals he scored on Sunday made him the top-scoring African player in Premier League history, surpassing former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba by two goals.
“I am so disappointed, we gave them so many chances,” United captain Harry Maguire said.
“They were so clinical, we had a lot of chances ourselves, but I am a defender and to concede four in the first half, especially at Old Trafford, is nowhere near good enough
“As a player I know myself. I’ll be looking at myself and my individual performance.
“We have to stick together. There is no point blaming each other, but look at ourselves. Look in the mirror when we go home tonight and think where we can do better.
On 52 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo thought he had pulled one back for Manchester United with an excellent piece of individual skill, but VAR replays showed that he was offside, and the goal was disallowed.
United’s day got even worse when Pogba was sent off on the hour mark for a studs-up challenge on Keita. Keita had to be stretchered off the pitch.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he did not expect a 5-0 result.
“Pressing high, winning balls, scored wonderful goals,” Klopp said.
“I told them at halftime to play better. We started incredibly well and stopped playing football. We controlled the game after the fifth, it was not about scoring more, just trying to get out without more injuries.
“The result is insane, I asked if there was one like this in history and if there isn’t, then it will take a while.
“The players put a nice piece in the book. It is special, but we don’t celebrate like crazy, we have respect for the opponents.
“We were lucky in some moments; United are not in their best moment.”
