Mohamed Salah scored for the third game in a row while Luis Diaz grabbed a double as Liverpool thrashed dismal Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Egyptian attacker – who found the back of the net in Liverpool opening two games against Ipswich and Brentford, that both ended in 2-0 wins for Arne Slot's men – provided two perfect balls to set up both of Diaz's first-half finishes before slotting home himself after the break.
It meant Salah kept up his ruthless scoring record at Old Trafford that has seen him notch 10 goals in nine appearances there for Liverpool in all competitions.
Their latest victory made it three wins out of three for Liverpool that takes them level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table as the only two teams left in the top-flight with 100 per cent starts to the season.
The Merseysiders also have two home games on the spin after the international break – against Nottingham Forest in the league and West Ham United in the League Cup – as they continue their fine start to life after Jurgen Klopp.
“A great result,” said Salah after the game. “Everyone knows the derby is important for the fans and the city. We need to carry on and if you want to fight for the league you have to win each game.
“I managed to be involved in three so I am happy about that. The manager likes us to press high and there was a couple of mistakes and we managed to use them – it was part of the plan.
“I had a good summer, a long time to stay with myself and think positively a bit, this is my last year with the club and I want to enjoy it. I feel I am free to play football – we will see what happens next year.”
For United, the pressure is already growing on manager Erik ten Hag following successive defeats that leaves them down in 14th following last season's eighth-place finish – the club's lowest top-flight finish since 1990.
The Dutch coach has won the League Cup and FA Cup since taking over as manager but it is results like this in the league, against their fierce rivals, that will send alarm bells ringing for his Ineos bosses who awarded Ten Hag a contract extension during the summer.
There was an early warning sign when Liverpool had a goal awarded by one form of technology only to be ruled out by another just six minutes in.
Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to his watch to indicate Trent Alexander-Arnold's shot had crossed the line before striking Diogo Dalot and bouncing clear. But VAR then intervened as Salah was offside when he knocked Diaz's low ball into Alexander-Arnold's path.
It was a let-off for United given the ease with which Ryan Gravenberch had carved through their midfield to create the opportunity. Ten Hag's side tried to settle the game down, controlling the tempo for a period, but doing so at the expense of offering any threat themselves.
Liverpool were happy to keep probing, and their reward came in the 35th minute.
Casemiro needlessly passed straight to Gravenberch, who once again found the space to charge forward before slipping the ball wide to Salah, and the only challenge to Diaz looking to head in at the far post was his own teammate Dominik Szoboszlai, who ducked out of the way.
United soon had a chance to hit back when Bruno Fernandes' cross was deflected into the path of Noussair Mazraoui. His low shot fizzed through the legs of Virgil van Dijk but the unsighted Alisson Becker did enough to scramble it clear.
Instead Liverpool doubled their lead three minutes before half-time, with Casemiro again involved for the wrong reasons.
Diaz picked his pocket in midfield, and while United looked to Taylor in vain for a free-kick, Diaz swapped passes with Salah before turning a low shot inside the post.
Toby Collyer replaced the hapless Casemiro at the break and the 20-year-old was quickly involved in setting up a chance for Joshua Zirkzee, whose shot was pushed wide by Alisson.
But although Casemiro had left Liverpool were still bossing the midfield, and after Alexis Mac Allister dispossessed Kobbie Mainoo, Szoboszlai teed up Salah to make it three in a swift counter in the 56th minute.
“The goals are always self-inflicted,” admitted United captain Fernandes. “You need to commit a mistake to give them the goal. We don't need to be pointing fingers at everyone. that won't help us now.
“What's the point in saying Casemiro lost the ball or Kobbie [Mainoo] lost the ball? They lost the ball because they wanted to be brave. It's part of football. Don't make it individual.”
