Liverpool haven’t had the best record against Manchester United over the last 20 years at home or away.
There have been the obvious exceptions, with a pair of 3-0 results in 2013/14 and the Torres inspired Old Trafford battering in 2009. Michael Owen also ripped The Red Devils apart once or twice.
But, regardless of results or general form, we have always seen Liverpool sweat blood in their attempts to beat their big rivals.
But we have never seen such an abject performance as that which was given by Brendan Rodgers’ team on Saturday.
It must have left so many Liverpool fans despairing and wondering ‘where do we go from here?’
Because, having been at the club since 2012, we are now fully justified in asking whether the Liverpool boss has taken the club forward, or whether his arguable foibles as a manager have simply been disguised by the brilliance of Suarez, Gerrard and Sterling.
Without those three, Rodgers now appears to be in serious trouble.
Manchester United are still scraping around for form themselves after a golden era. But this Liverpool side was utterly there for the taking from the first minute of the game.
Signings
Philippe Coutinho has been a great find and Daniel Sturridge an excellent player when fit.
But the rest of BR’s transfer activity has to go in one of two categories – ‘failures’ or ‘jury still out’.
It’s not easy to beat top teams to the signings of top players. But, with the amount spent by Rodgers, Liverpool fans should surely have expected more individual success stories than they have had.
Tactics
He’s tried lots of formations – we assumed he would be a 4-3-3 man when he had that wonderful team which included Sterling and Suarez – but since then he has tried every other established system, without any luck.
This Liverpool team lacks identity, speed and understanding of how they are supposed to be playing.
Man-management
BR seems to keep his players pretty well on side and is a decent communicator. But it’s not enough.
The name of Jurgen Klopp has increasingly been used in relation to Liverpool on social media over the last few months and, as early as last year, some media outlets were suggesting that Klopp was a leading candidate to take the job.
Klopp is perfect for Liverpool
The German is out of work after leaving Dortmund in the summer.
He too may represent a gamble as he has no experience in English football and is something of a maverick.
But we would give him the Liverpool job tomorrow. Why? Because he knows exactly how he likes his teams to play. He won’t spend a season tinkering with the formation. He will get his players working for him – the Dortmund squad loved him – and he will ensure that the Liverpool fans enjoy an attacking spectacle each week.
At the moment it’s disjointed and aimless. Liverpool made some quality signings in the summer. There is good material to work with. But, at the moment, they look like they are going backwards.
