Mohamed Salah became Liverpool’s record Premier League scorer as they put the boot into Manchester United’s chances of joining the title race with a humiliating and historic 7-0 mauling at Anfield.
The future of the Reds’ forward line paved the way as Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scored twice to demolish their arch-rivals with a result which was the largest victory in the fixture’s 211-match history.
Three of their goals came in a seven-minute spell either side of half-time which left the visitors, who have not won on this ground since Jurgen Klopp’s first encounter with them in January 2016, reeling.
The soon-to-be the last man standing of Liverpool’s famed front three Salah then provided a timely reminder of the standards that pair have to meet with two goals of his own – either side of a Nunez header – to go past Robbie Fowler as the club’s record Premier League scorer with his 128th and 129th goals.
Substitute Roberto Firmino, who on Friday told the club he would not be seeking a contract extension and would end his eight-year stay in the summer, applied the finishing touches with the seventh.