Manchester United players had to sit and listen to celebrations from the Liverpool dressing room after being beaten 7-0 at Anfield.
United were humiliated by their bitter rivals last weekend. It doesn’t get any more believable any more you say it. 7-0. Liverpool seven, Manchester United nil. But that’s what happened.
The loss was United’s joint worst in their 121-year history. And according to The Athletic, Erik ten Hag’s men unsurprisingly sat in silence upon their return to the safety of the changing room.
But unfortunately for them, the silence couldn’t last. That’s because, although not making a noise between them, Ten Hag and co could reportedly hear the Liverpool celebrations ‘booming through the walls.’
That’s what we like to hear. In interviews after the game the Liverpool players were clearly not getting carried away. But behind closed doors, you’ve simply got to celebrate hammering a rival with such conviction.
Liverpool earn the right to celebrate
A lot has been made of the Liverpool celebrations in the days since Sunday. Some have accused those of a Red persuasion of making too much of the win.
Others have pointed out the fact that Liverpool are fifth this season, behind United and near-certain not to win anything.
That may be the case, but if you can’t celebrate obliterating your nearest rivals 7-0, then when can you? Because it’s been such a poor season is even more reason for Liverpool players, fans and staff to enjoy the moment.
As we well know with this Reds squad, they certainly won’t get carried away. They’ve become used to battling at the top of the table and know that this campaign hasn’t been good enough. Leaders like Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Virgil van Dijk won’t allow for any kind of complacency to creep in on the back of one result.
That’s why Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth is now so vital. Win again, and Liverpool will rightly feel that real momentum is with them. With a big task ahead of them in Madrid on Wednesday, it would be the perfect springboard. But anything other than a win, and they’re back to looking like also-rans.
However Saturday – and the rest of the season – ends up though, you can’t take last week away from Liverpool. It’s a result that will live longer than anything else either of the two teams involved do for the rest of the campaign. Listen hard enough and you can probably still hear some booming of walls throughout Merseyside. And rightly so.