United left chasing shadows in humbling defeat to superior Liverpool

Liverpool produced a devastating attacking display at Anfield in the 240th edition of the North-West’s flagship derby, beating eternal rivals Manchester United 7-0 to emphatically add momentum to their chase for a top-four finish.

As for the goals, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez scored twice apiece and Roberto Firmino added a seventh in an extraordinary game at Anfield.

Gakpo opened the scoring at the end of a frantic opening period, curling the ball home after Andy Robertson produced a wonderful pass. 

The game had been balanced and evenly contested up to that point, but Liverpool stole the game away from the Red Devils in a crazy five-minute spell after the interval.

First Nunez headed in from close range before Gakpo linked up with Salah and beat David de Gea with a deft chip.

Salah grabbed the fourth, emphatically smashing a bouncing ball into the roof of the net, and that took him level with Robbie Fowler on a club-record 128 Premier League goals for Liverpool.

Nunez added the fifth with his head on a remarkable day for Liverpool, before Salah scored a scruffy sixth to move clear of Fowler in the record books. Roberto Firmino completed the destruction late on.

Liverpool are now just three points off the Champions League places with a game in hand.

It was almost embarrassing to watch some of Liverpool's goals, but not Gakpo's. He took both goals brilliantly and offered a directness the United defenders could not cope with.