Wayne Lumbasi
Liverpool moved top of the Premier League with a resounding 4-0 win over rivals Manchester United. Ralf Rangnick’s Red Devils put in one of their worst performances of the season even by their own standards and missed the chance to move level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.
Liverpool were able to move two points clear at the top of the table ahead of Manchester City’s clash.
Both sets of fans then paid tribute to the absent Cristiano Ronaldo in the seventh minute following the death of his baby son, with universal applause ringing out in spite of the fierce rivalry that exists between the clubs.
It took just five minutes for title chasing Liverpool to cut through Man United’s five man defense, with Mohamed Salah breaking down the right and playing an inch perfect ball into the stride of Colombian attacker Luis Diaz who duly fired past a hapless David De Gea.
A gulf in class and intensity between the two sides was nothing short of embarrassing and on 22 minutes Liverpool deservedly went two up slick move ended with Sadio Mane playing a sublime first-time pass on the turn to free Salah to net his first goal from open play since February 19.
Sadio Mane netted Liverpool’s third goal in the 68th minute and Salah made the final score 4-0 in the 85th minute. Liverpool moved two points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table, but still need the English champions to slip up in their remaining seven league games of the season to win the title.
Rangnick will step aside at the end of the season, with Ajax manager Erik ten Hag reportedly set to take over.
