"Nightmarish" - Rivaldo makes bold claims about Liverpool's 7-0 win over Manchester United

Former Barcelona and Brazil superstar Rivaldo has reacted to Manchester United's embarrassing 7-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League last weekend (Sunday, March 5, 2023). The Selecao legend described the setback as a nightmare for the Red Devils.

All eyes were on Manchester United to see if they would continue their brilliant run as they traveled to Anfield to lock horns with Liverpool on Sunday. Both teams put in a strong shift in the first half, with the Reds earning a narrow 1-0 lead heading into half-time.

However, the Red Devils dropped their guard after the restart and were made to pay for it severely. Jurgen Klopp's rampant side capitalized on Erik ten Hag's men's poor performance in the second half and fired six goals past David de Gea, earning themselves a historic 7-0 triumph.

Reacting to the result, Rivaldo admitted that it was indeed a surprise as no one would've predicted such a scoreline for the game.

"It was impossible for anyone to predict a 7-0 win for Liverpool over Manchester United," the Brazilian told Betfair.

"This is what makes soccer so beautiful, for as much as we may think that one team arrives stronger than the other, this does not mean that on the field things will go accordingly.

"Fred and Casemiro had been doing a fantastic job, giving solidity to United, and suddenly everything collapsed in 45 nightmarish minutes. It is hard to draw many conclusions from a disaster like this.

"These are things that happen every 50 years and there is no way you can explain a succession of events on the pitch that lead to such a result," he added.

Despite their setback against Liverpool, Rivaldo insists that Manchester United are on the right track and advised them to focus on their Premier League game.

"My advice to them is to try to focus on the next Premier League game and keep working hard, as they had been doing until this game. The team seemed to be on the right track." he said.

What next for Liverpool and Manchester United?

Liverpool FC v Manchester United - Premier League

The Red Devils will look to put that embarrassing defeat behind them and bounce back to winning ways when they return to action in the Premier League this weekend. They're scheduled to take on Southampton at Old Trafford on Sunday, March 4.

Jurgen Klopp's men, on the other hand, will be eager to continue their winning run when they clash with Bournemouth away from home in the English top flight on Saturday.

As it stands, the Reds occupy fifth position in the table with 42 points in 25 games. Ten Hag's men, meanwhile, are currently third in the standings with 49 points in 25 matches. It remains to be seen where the two sides will end up in the table come the end of the term.