For many Manchester United fans, the worst part of their latest humiliating defeat to Liverpool was that they anticipated it long before kick-off. Those who arrived at Anfield on Tuesday night did so in the faint hope United might be able to salvage a heroic draw, rather than any belief they actually would.
It would only take five minutes before those dreams were dashed as Liverpool tore United's defence apart like a child opening their first present on Christmas morning. There would be plenty more gifts before the match — effectively a broadcasted training session — was finally put to an end.
United's season relies on trying to finish fourth in the Premier League, while Liverpool's relies on trying to finish it with four trophies to their name, an unprecedented quadruple. There are levels to this game, and United's is far below that of their most fierce rivals.
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Supporters will have no shame in admitting that Liverpool currently have a much better squad and manager — as Ralf Rangnick conceded after the game — but one thing they won't accept is the perceived lack of effort and defeatist attitude which has been adopted by their players.
At Anfield on Tuesday night, the gulf was not only in talent but in work ethic, with United seemingly resigned to the fact that they were going to lose with players looking to go through the motions and take their contractually obliged beating.
Once again, this is by no means a new issue at United and it was even touched upon by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier in the season.
"Football is a simple game and it’s about making good decisions and being in a team,” the Norwegian stated back in September. “Sometimes we look too much into the intricacies and it’s passion, it’s desire... you can talk about all sorts, it looks nice on paper, but when you go out on that pitch, who wants to win? That is one of the big things, and you want winners."
Now, before you run to the comments section to question why we are quoting the former manager, who himself was not up to the job, hear us out.
Solskjaer fell short of what was needed to take United to the next level, and was lacking in tactical acumen, but that doesn't mean everything he said or did was wrong. He, like interim boss Rangnick, is well aware of the issues at play, even if he is not the man to solve them.
There is no quick fix to assemble a squad that can immediately challenge Liverpool and Man City next season, though there is certainly plenty of room for an immediate improvement in squad ethic and work rate.
United head into another seismic summer in need of an extensive squad overhaul and the new manager (almost certainly Erik ten Hag_ along with the club's transfer committee, must be given time to ensure they can nurture the talents of players hungry for success who are joining for all the right reasons.
Establishing a new identity will be the key task for United this summer. And, although it might take a while to seriously challenge for the Premier League title, next season would be an improvement if they are able to at least put up a fight in matches against City and Liverpool.
Two years after Solskjaer warned there were a few bad apples at United, the first-team squad is rotten once again.
