It was the body language of every Manchester United player which told the whole, shocking story.
At half time, as they waited for referee Martin Atkinson to sort out his equipment, there was the faraway stare of the shellshocked trenchman, the noise from the big guns of the Kop glazing the eyes. None looked at each other, or towards the opposition which had tormented them through surely the most one-sided first half in living memory between these two giants of world football.
And no wonder, because they had been tortured - and that is the correct word - by the sound of small explosions at every turn, all around them. To continue the war analogy which it surely must have felt like, they were outflanked by a superior general with modern methods.
What was Ralf Rangnick thinking? He went into the game with three centre halves, five at the back, and yet somehow allowed Luis Diaz to get himself one on one in a foot race with Victor Lindelof…constantly. This is the Luis Diaz who had only on Saturday given John Stones - as accomplished and pacy a centre half as there is - twisted blood, and nightmares for years to come. Did Rangnick not watch that game?
How many times did Diaz run past the unfortunate defender? The Kop lost count. He scored one, created another, had a third disallowed, tore shreds in a defence that was already threadbare through a lack of cover further forward.
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It has been the story of United’s season, and yet they arrived here at Anfield still in fifth with a realistic target of a top four place. Are they the worst side to ever challenge for the Champions League? The half time stats suggested as much, two touches in the Liverpool box, compared to the home side’s 38 in theirs, 22 per cent possession a minute before the interval. No shots on goal.
The tactics were all wrong, but you wonder what tactics would work with these players? Pogba looked a candidate to go off barely 60 seconds into the contest, and duly obliged on 10 minutes. Rangnick tried something, but actually nothing would work.
Not against Liverpool in this mood, especially. This was perhaps their finest 45 minutes under Klopp, and that is saying something. Their passing was sublime. One move, when Alisson fed Diaz, an amazing touch, exquisite pass from Salah, so very nearly produced the goal of the season for Mane. Hell, the goal of the century.
Diaz was substituted on 70 minutes. It was to rest him for further battles ahead, but it felt as though Jurgen Klopp had taken pity on his old friend. They had taken enough torture, they could stand no more explosions.
United weren’t just defeated here, they were destroyed, and believe me, the rebuilding job is mammoth, because this will have left mental scars.
