Prior to the game much had been made about the crisis that continues to envelop Manchester United. Protests against ownership took place with a planned march ahead of the clash with Liverpool, although the appetite for a mooted walkout to show solidarity against the Glazer family never manifested.
The anger from the 4-0 demolition that Erik ten Hag's men had suffered at the hands of Brentford last week had cooled somewhat over the following days, the club's continuing involvement in the transfer window and eventual acquisition of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro in a £60m deal taking some of the edge off what had been planned.
Pundits were predicting a cricket score for Liverpool, who had made a slow start to the new season, but as Manchester United applied the pressure from the off on the Reds anyone holding those hopeful views saw them quickly evaporate, just like the walkout plans that some had been trying to drum up support for online during the week.
