IAN LADYMAN: Man United rolled back Eric ten Hag’s early days at the club with loss by Liverpool

Manchester United’s aggregate score in two Premier League games against Liverpool last season was 0-9. This season it is 2-8. United have improved, then. But after this remarkable afternoon at Anfield, it looks like Erik ten Hag’s side have more work to do than we thought.

This was a result and performance taken from Ten Hag’s difficult early days at Old Trafford. A 4-0 defeat against Brentford and a 6-3 defeat against Manchester City that flattered them were the mainstays of Ten Hag’s early attempts to lead his club out of obscurity and back into the light. We thought all that was gone.

We thought that dysfunction, weakness and a refusal to take individual responsibility had gone out the door with Cristiano Ronaldo back in the early days of winter.

But here, out of nowhere and on the back of a long career of progressive, winning football, all the horror, all the unspeakable things, bubbled and frothing like sewage to the surface.

United stank here. Maybe that goes without saying. It may be impossible to lose by seven goals and come away with some kind of credit. But there’s still the feeling that this was a demo that pointed to something not quite right in the heart and soul of the Ten Hag team. In a way, it was about more than just football.

David De Gea showed worrying signs shortly after Cody Gakpo scored the first goal

Captain Bruno Fernandes showed no fight or leadership with his behavior on the pitch

All the concerning signs were there. David de Gea moaning to Lisandro Martínez after the first goal went in. Young Brazilian Antony (goals this season: six) waving at Marcus Rashford (goals this season: 22) after losing possession and choosing not to chase the goal. number four.

And that’s before we get to Captain Bruno Fernandes. Portuguese is a talent. He is also a baby. The great United captains over the years, like Keane, Robson, Cantona, Bruce, didn’t always do things their way. Nobody is perfect. They all had bad days. But the captain’s armband brings with it the responsibility to lead, to set an example, to keep your head up.

Fernandes presented absolutely none of that at Anfield. His most notable contributions did not come from his feet but from his mouth. Full time, he was still arguing, this time with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Before that, he rocked Ibrahima Konate with a late challenge. He pretended to be hurt, holding his face, when the same opponent hit him in the chest. It was extraordinary that he was not signed. It was equally surprising that Ten Hag left him on the field for the entire 94 minutes.

Fernandez was not alone. Luke Shaw looked like a wrecking ball in oversized shorts. De Gea, so impressive overall this season, had an afternoon where the simple things suddenly became difficult. Diogo Dalot, brought down in his side by Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson, was so confused that when Roberto Firmino scored the seventh goal, the United full-back was trying to stop him on the goal line while standing half a meter behind him.

It was chaotic, unruly and for those United supporters brave enough to stick around to the end, it must have been not only embarrassing but also utterly confusing. Prior to this game, United had lost once since 6 November. One loss in 22 games. And then this.

The first half saw United carry a latent threat that has become recognizable as this season progresses. Liverpool were the better team, but until Cody Gakpo scored the opener just before half-time, the best chances, one for Fernandes and one for Rashford, had come to United at half-time.

Anfield was full of hope at half time. The goal had done that. But the way in which Jurgen Klopp’s side trampled United in the second period is what will have sent Ten Hag back to Cheshire wondering if there is still a deep malady in the composition of a team with whom he has already achieved so much this season. season.

Liverpool were electrifying in the second half. They smelled blood once the second goal went in on 47 minutes and the way they chased United like hounds was reminiscent of some of their great modern performances.

It was a demo that pointed out something that wasn’t quite right in the heart and soul of the Ten Hag team.

Liverpool were electrifying in the second half. They smelled blood once the second goal went in

All the problems that became visible in United’s football and in their minds became clear to the Liverpool players on the field. They turned little tears into gaping holes. They turned vulnerability into naked and painful weakness. And based on that, they turned their own energy, belief and aggression into goal after goal after goal. We have seen a lot of exceptional things in this stadium in the Klopp era, but we haven’t seen many like this.

Still, however, United was complicit. They’re a good team these days, but Liverpool and City have set the standards in the decade since Sir Alex Ferguson’s last Premier League title in 2013. Here United found that they remain short, both mentally and emotionally and technically and tactically.

Ferguson was here for this. always is. He knows what it takes to win titles and whining, fighting, fouling and whining have never been part of the toolkit.

Good teams can lose, but they don’t lose like that. Good teams close out games. They limit the damage. They leave with dignity. Here United opened the door for Liverpool and just looked the other way.