Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is indelibly associated with perhaps the greatest day in Manchester United’s history. Sadly for him, he is now a byword for a historic low.
As Liverpool got their biggest ever win at Old Trafford, Jurgen Klopp could celebrate the latest in a series of extraordinary scorelines he has overseen and a rampant Mohamed Salah pressed his case to be recognised as the world’s finest footballer with a hat-trick, United were a pathetic excuse for a team.
This was a humiliation and an embarrassment, the sort that will hurt the United fan in the beleaguered Solskjaer. Saturday was the 10th anniversary of the 6-1 defeat to Manchester City, but that featured three late goals. This was the first time United had ever been 4-0 down at half-time in the Premier League.
It was Solskjaer’s worst day: worse than Young Boys of Bern or Istanbul Basaksehir or Sheffield United or losing 6-1 to Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham. It was a game to flag up the question if he can possibly be allowed to continue. As Klopp continued to illustrate the difference a high-class manager can make, Solskjaer has never looked so out of his depth.
His back four cost £190 million ($261.5m) and were a shambles. The entire team were a rabble. A couple of the supposed superstars of a club increasingly defined by big names were a disgrace, too. Paul Pogba came and went in 15 minutes, the substitute sent off. Booked for a lunge at Naby Keita, it was upgraded to a red card when Anthony Taylor reviewed it on the monitor.
Another of United’s superstars should have exited in ignominious fashion before then. Cristiano Ronaldo escaped with a caution for a malicious kick at Curtis Jones; the officials exacted a different form of punishment when Ronaldo thought he had scored, only for VAR to chalk the goal off.
Player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea 4 - Conceded now in 13 consecutive home games for United – not that he could do much about the five which past him. A chocolate fireguard would have offered more protection. Good save from Alexander Arnold after 70. EPA -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka 3 - Left his man to try and retrieve the ball before Liverpool’s opener. Didn’t. And from there things got even worse. Booked – one of seven United players to get a card on a day of frustration. EPA -
Victor Lindelof 3 - Another in the wrong position for the opener for the most jittery start from United. Ball bounced off him before Liverpool’s third. Booed off at half time with the rest of his teammates by a support who otherwise sang until the end. No wonder several of the players apologised. EPA -
Harry Maguire 2 - Adrift as Liverpool cut United’s defence open from the start and tangled with Shaw for the second as Liverpool went 2-0 up after 13. Things got even worse and he’s having an awful time of it. Booked. Getty -
Luke Shaw 3 - Stranded for Liverpool’s opener. Shot wide from distance after 21, but, like the rest of the defenders, he was all over the place as a far superior Liverpool passed the ball around them. EPA -
Fred 3 - Lovely ball to Ronaldo after three minutes. And that was the highlight as his side were thrashed. Booked. Not even fair to compare him to someone as influential as Jordan Henderson today. Had little time on the ball against a side who never stopped hunting the ball down. EPA -
Scott McTominay 3 - Ran back to dispossess Salah after eight minutes. Does he really want to be reminded of anything after that as Liverpool completely dominated? Headed ball down to set up Cavani after 83. The game was so far gone, there was barely a reaction when the ball went in the net. EPA -
Bruno Fernandes 3 - Skied a third minute shot over. Wasted. Often frustrated, too often argumentative. Booked for this on an afternoon which became deeply embarrassing for the home team. AP -
Mason Greenwood 4 - Was up for it from the start, intercepting a Liverpool attack. Then they scored twice. Shot tested Alisson after 28, but what else can you say about a player on a side which was 4-0 down at half-time for the first time in 31 years? AP -
Marcus Rashford 3 - Lively start and got away from Kieta to shoot wide from 25 yards. But lost in the hideous muddle which developed and for which no words can make up. EPA -
Cristiano Ronaldo 3 - Another who skied a shot early on. Put the ball in the net after 53 with a superb shot, but it was offside. Booked. He’s hugely frustrated – and hugely influential. And that could be a blessing and a curse for United. AP -
SUBS: Paul Pogba 2 - On for Greenwood at HT. Dived in for a challenge with Keita on 58 and was sent off. He should have known far better. AP -
Edinson Cavani 3 - On for Fernandes after 61 as Liverpool fans sang ‘Ole’s at the wheel’ and ‘Ole give us a wave.’ It was that bad. A deflected shot hit the crossbar after 83. EPA -
Diogo Dalot 3 - On for Rashford after 61 as Liverpool fans chanted ‘Ole must stay’ while the speculation about United’s manager skyrocketed. AP -
LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker 8 - The Brazilian foiled Greenwood and Ronaldo in the first half and was a model of composure. He distributed the ball with his usual aplomb. Getty -
Trent Alexander-Arnold 8 - The 22-year-old was supposed to be the target for Ronaldo and Rashford but was comfortable throughout. He ranged forward at will and supplied the cross for Jota’s goal. Getty -
Ibrahima Konate 8 - The Frenchman got sucked into midfield and went to ground early on but he soon found his feet. He was excellent in the air and strong on the ground. EPA -
Virgil van Dijk 8 - The Dutchman was completely at ease. He oozed class. It is hard to believe that Maguire was a more expensive signing. EPA -
Andrew Robertson 8 - The Scot’s passing was a little inconsistent but he worked the line well. He made himself available as an outlet ball and got better as the game went on. Getty -
Jordan Henderson 8 - The captain was efficient in possession and adapted nicely to the defensive midfield role. His pass for Salah’s hat-trick was splendid. Getty -
James Milner 7 - The 35-year-old limped off injured after 27 minutes but his workrate and appetite were illustrated when he was queuing at the back post behind Jota for a chance to score the second goal. Reuters -
Naby Keita 9 - This was the 26-year-old’s best game for the club. He scored, helped set up two goals and broke up United attacks. He was carried off in the 64th minute after a horrible challenge by Pogba. Getty -
Mohamed Salah 10 - The Egyptian’s pass for the opening goal was wonderful but what followed was exceptional. He tormented United and was rewarded with a hat-trick. AFP -
Roberto Firmino 8 - The Brazilian’s movement and intelligence bemused the defence. He helped create the fourth goal before being replaced by Mane in the 77th minute. EPA -
Diogo Jota 8 - The Portuguese caused havoc down the left. He scored the second goal and set up another for Salah. Getty -
SUBS: Curtis Jones 7 - The 20-year-old replaced Milner in the 27th minute and was given some rough treatment by Ronaldo and Fernandes but never let it affect his game. Getty -
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 7 - The 28-year-old joined the action in the 64th minute when Keita was injured. He was effective on and off the ball as Liverpool cruised towards the final whistle. AFP -
Sadio Mane 6 - The Senegalese was introduced for Firmino with 13 minutes left. He was desperate to score and was perhaps a little too greedy. Reuters
The loss of Keita, stretchered off after a superb display, and James Milner mean Liverpool now have five injured midfielders and were the only blots on a near-perfect day for Klopp. Liverpool were outstanding. Salah can seem to reach new heights by the week and he became the first visiting player to get a hat-trick at Old Trafford since the Brazilian Ronaldo in 2003. He tormented Luke Shaw, making one of Euro 2020’s best left-backs look like an amateur.
He is creator as well as scorer and the pivotal goal featured a Salah assist. After Bruno Fernandes blazed over when Liverpool’s defence were dragged over to their right, Liverpool produced a similar move that a different finish. Each of Liverpool’s front three was involved before a midfielder scored. Salah fed the overlapping Keita. He slotted a shot past David de Gea for a second fine goal in a week, following his spectacular strike against Atletico Madrid.
The second came courtesy of catastrophic defending. Harry Maguire and Shaw confused each other as neither got the ball. Trent Alexander-Arnold did instead, delivering the low centre that Diogo Jota converted; had he not scored, a similarly unmarked Milner was waiting to apply the finishing touch, but Klopp got a reward for preferring the Portuguese to Sadio Mane.
Then Salah took over. He provided an emphatic finish from Keita’s low centre to overtake Didier Drogba and become the highest-scoring African in Premier League history. He sidefooted in the fourth after a pass from Jota.
His hat-trick was prodded in after accelerating on to Jordan Henderson’s lovely pass. Pogba had lost the ball in the centre circle, his first notable contribution after coming on; bizarrely, Solskjaer had substituted Mason Greenwood, United’s brightest attacker in the first half, to replace him with the Frenchman.
In the stands, Alex Ferguson shook his head, stone-faced while Kenny Dalglish beamed with glee. Liverpool’s greatest player had much to savour; Firmino was irrepressible and irresistible, albeit aided by United’s inability to track anyone. Salah was electric and exceptional.
The surprise selection Ibrahima Konate excelled in defence. Liverpool eased up in the final half-hour, perhaps showing sympathy to Solskjaer. Their fans showed no such mercy. They taunted the United manager with taunts of “Ole’s at the wheel.” But for how much longer?
