Man Utd 0-5 Liverpool: player ratings as Reds thrash bitter rivals

Liverpool were at their rampant best as they swatted aside bitter rivals Manchester United in ruthless fashion at Old Trafford.

The Reds delivered a barnstorming 5-0 victory, having done the damage in the first half with four goals.

Jurgen Klopp’s men broke the deadlock after just five minutes when Naby Keita rounded off a sweeping move.

The away side doubled their lead eight minutes later when Diogo Jota bundled home from close range.

Mo Salah inevitably got in on the act when he added a third on 38 minutes before the forward notched his second in stoppage-time.

Then the Egyptian rounded off his hat-trick five minutes into the second period when he latched on to Jordan Henderson’s brilliant through ball and slotted beyond David de Gea.

The only blot on the copybook was Keita being stretchered off after being on the receiving end of a sending-off tackle from Paul Pogba.

The heroes

- Mo Salah: nothing comes as a surprise from the current best player in the world right now. All three of his finishes were as nonchalant as they come. Salah has now scored 15 goals in just 12 matches this season. He is unstoppable. Man of the match.

- Naby Keita: there were some fans disappointed he remained in the starting XI after a mixed performance at Atletico Madrid. However, Keita put in probably his best display for Liverpool. He kept his cool to open the scoring and assisted Salah’s first goal. Not only that but Keita’s pressing was fantastic and gave United little time on the ball. So unlucky to have been on the receiving end of a Paul Pogba tackle that earned the Frenchman a red card.

- Jordan Henderson: the Liverpool captain completely bossed the engine room all game. He kept the Reds ticking throughout the game, moving the ball swiftly from side to side, and his assist for Salah’s hat-trick goal was nothing less than a peach of a pass with the outside of his boot.

The villains

- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: the United manager is under serious pressure. Plenty worried how easily the Red Devils could get cut apart by Liverpool before the game and that proved the case. Their attempted press was unconvincing, at best, and completely lacked organisation. Calls for him to be sacked have now intensified.

- Paul Pogba: the midfielder rightly got his marching orders for a lunge on Keita little more than 15 minutes after coming on at half-time. Not only that, but Pogba was pilfered of the ball by Roberto Firmino which led to Liverpool’s fifth. A nightmare cameo.

- Harry Maguire: the England international’s woeful form continues. He was caught going for the same ball as Luke Shaw that led to Jota’s goal and was all over the show for Liverpool’s fourth. Surely his place in the team is under question.

Player ratings

Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea 4, Wan-Bissaka 3, Lindelof 3, Maguire 2, Shaw 2, Fred 3, McTominay 4, Rashford 4 (Dalton 62; 4), Greenwood 4 (Poga 46; 1), Fernandes 3 (Fernandes 62; 4), Ronaldo 3.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 8, Konate 8, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 7, Henderson 8, Milner 7 (Jones 27; 7), Keita 9 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 64; 6), Jota 8, Salah 10, Firmino 8 (Mane 76; 6).

What’s next for Liverpool

The Reds are in Carabao Cup fourth-round action when they travel to Preston North End on Wednesday.

Klopp’s men are then back at Anfield when they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday 30 October (15.00).