Reality check for Manchester United after destruction at Anfield

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino (not pictured) scores their side's seventh goal of the game during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

This was meant to be the day when the battle for the Premier League title became a three-horse race, but Arsenal and Manchester City can rest easy after Manchester United were so brutally destroyed at Anfield that it’s hard to build an argument that they could possibly be contenders.

United’s back four has always been their Achilles heel, they have already conceded six at City and four at Brentford this season, but the shambolic nature of the second half as Liverpool took the score to 7-0 will leave United fans fearing that the good work of the last few months has not yet driven away all their demons.