After a fairly fortunate win to start the season, and then a loss to Brighton, a home tie with Liverpool was probably the last thing Ten Hag wanted, but his team truly let down the fans on this one, again being embarrassed and completely outplayed by their arch-rivals. With Salah and Diaz making a mockery of the home turf for United, it’s a hugely worrying period with only 1 win in 3 games to start the season, and even that coming late and being fairly fortunate.

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Teams

United looked lost in this game, with the starting XI completely outplayed. Casemiro was hooked at half-time, as he looked well off the pace, and controversially, Ten Hag decided to put youngster Collyer into the midfield which, to his credit, he performed as well as could be expected in the situation.

For Liverpool, their quality shone throughout, and their subs didn’t make life easier, as Nunez, Gakpo and others just added to United’s difficulties and allowed them to rotate their minutes later on.

Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Martinez, De Ligt (Maguire 69′), Mazraoui, Mainoo, Casemiro (Collyer 46′), Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho (Amad 69′), Zirkzee (Eriksen 86′)

Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Evans, Antony, Wheatley

Liverpool: Alisson, Robertson (Tsimikas 83′), van Dijk, Konate, Trent (Bradley 76′), Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Diaz (Gakpo 66′), Szoboszlai, Salah, Jota (Nunez 76′)

Subs: Kelleher, Quansah, Gomez, Elliott, Endo

Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool

Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford ended in misery for Manchester United, as Liverpool ran out convincing 3–0 winners. The first strike came in the 35th minute when Luis Díaz rose at the back post to head home a pinpoint cross from Mohamed Salah, the result of a loose pass in midfield that United failed to recover from. Just seven minutes later, Díaz was on the scoresheet again: after winning the ball back in midfield, Liverpool swiftly transitioned and Salah’s pass found Díaz, who slotted home clinically to double the lead before half-time.

The second half brought little respite for United. Eleven minutes after the break, Salah added a third, a composed finish following a move started in midfield and a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai. That goal effectively settled the contest, with Liverpool maintaining control throughout and United unable to mount any meaningful response.

The second half brought little respite for United. Eleven minutes after the break, Salah added a third, a composed finish following a move started in midfield and a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai. That goal effectively settled the contest, with Liverpool maintaining control throughout and United unable to mount any meaningful response.

Talking Points

Manchester United were completely outplayed from start to finish in a bruising afternoon at Old Trafford. Liverpool controlled the tempo, pressed with conviction and punished every mistake, leaving United chasing shadows for long stretches. The visitors’ intensity and organisation stood in stark contrast to United’s disjointed play, with the hosts repeatedly losing key duels and struggling to build any meaningful momentum. By the time Liverpool’s third goal went in, the result felt like an inevitability rather than a surprise.

The defeat also deepens an early-season slump that is becoming increasingly worrying for Erik ten Hag’s side. Two losses in their opening three league matches is not the platform United needed, especially given how flat their performances have looked. Rather than signs of a team bedding in or progressing, the pattern has been one of slow starts, repeated errors and a lack of cohesion. It’s still early in the campaign, but the mood around Old Trafford is turning uneasy as United find themselves playing catch-up far earlier than anticipated.

Perhaps the most troubling individual display came from Casemiro, who looked completely off the pace throughout. Once the team’s midfield anchor, he struggled to track runners, was second to loose balls and was dispossessed in dangerous areas. Liverpool repeatedly targeted the space around him, sensing vulnerability, and it paid off. Whether it’s a fitness issue, tactical misfit or simply a decline in sharpness, United desperately need a solution, because at the moment, their midfield balance is crumbling without the authority Casemiro once provided.