Liverpool produced a remarkable display to demolish their rivals Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield on Sunday. Liverpool brought Manchester United’s bandwagon to s shuddering halt with one of the most astonishing drubbings in Premier League history. The tide is shifting in the Champions League race as Liverpool claimed the fifth spot in the table following a commanding win over United, who recently won the Carabao Cup. Third-place United endured a humiliating and heaviest defeat since a 7-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1931.

A brace from Mohamed Salah saw him become Liverpool’s top-ever Premier League scorer with 129 goals surpassing Robbie Fowler’s 128. Ian Rush is still Liverpool’s top-ever league scorer with 229 goals. Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo also scored two goals each while Roberto Firmino got the seventh off the bench.

United, who were unbeaten in their last 11 matches, looked to be the better side for 42 minutes of play. But the hosts managed to score the opener in the 43rd minute through Gakpo. The Dutch winger’s superb finish to Robertson’s pass made it 1-0 before the break.

Liverpool shifted their gears and completely played a high-level game right from the start of the second half. Nunez produced a fine header in the 47th minute to make it 2-0 with United making some comical defending. Three minutes later, a lightning Liverpool counter-attack led by Salah ended with Gapko finishing in style for 3-0.

With United in disarray and losing their heads, the Egyptian forward got in on the act to rifle in the Red Devils’ fourth goal in the 66th minute. Liverpool continued their dominance with brilliant team play. The Uruguayan forward Nunez then sent a header past helpless goalkeeper David De Gea in the 75th minute to make it 5-0. Alexander-Arnold looped the ball back into the box, and Jordan Henderson retrieved it, crossing onto the head of Nunez whose header was expertly flicked. But there was still more to come.

A few moments later, Salah rubbed salt into United’s wounds with a close-range effort to score his second of the night. Firmino then came off the bench to send Jurgen Klopp’s side into seventh heaven when most United fans headed for the exits.

Liverpool’s fourth win in five league matches lifted them above Newcastle United into fifth on 42 points, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand. Liverpool’s previous biggest win over United was a 7-1 victory in 1895 when both clubs were in the second tier.