As wake-up calls go, this was as brutal, shameful and humiliating as it gets.
Before the game, Erik ten Hag said he was confident his Manchester United players would thrive in the hostile environment that awaited them at Anfield. Having based his recruitment last summer on players with character and personality, Ten Hag was adamant United could handle the occasion at the home of their fiercest rivals.
“You find the type who are humble and cooperative in the dressing room, but when they are on the pitch, they take responsibility,” said Ten Hag. “I can sit on the bench composed because I know the players will do the job and deal with the situation.”
