Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp displayed an elegant touch by remaining respectful of Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following the Reds' emphatic 5-0 win last night.
Here's what the German manager said:
"Of course [I have sympathy]. The last thing I'd want to be is in his shoes in this moment. In the moments when you lose a derby you don't want to go and answer questions, so it's for sure not nice for him."
Manchester United were outclassed in every department on the field. The midfield lacked balance, leaving empty spaces for Liverpool to exploit.
Naby Keita and Diogo Jota found the back of the net within the first 15 minutes. However, their goals were shadowed by Mo Salah, who completed his hat-trick in the second half. His treble was the catalyst behind Liverpool's biggest win at Old Trafford.
Despite reiterating his stance on showing respect for his opponents, Klopp revealed how the margin of their victory was unexpected.
He said:
"What can I say? Did I expect that? No. What we did in the last third was insane. Pressing high, winning balls, scored wonderful goals. The result is insane, I asked if there was one like this in history and if there isn’t then it will take a while. The players put a nice piece in the book.It is special but we don’t celebrate like crazy, we have respect for the opponents. We were lucky in some moments, United are not in their best moment."
After Manchester United's loss to Liverpool, they are now seven points behind their rivals and eight off current Premier League leaders Chelsea.
It's going to be tough for Manchester United to bounce back
The Red Devils have now kept just one clean sheet in their last 21 games. They hopped out of the top 4 after losing 2-4 to the Foxes last weekend.
Manchester United had hoped to redeem themselves against their arch-rivals. However, it didn't go as planned. They've now failed to win their last four Premier League games and have dropped down to seventh place. They're behind Tottenham Hotspur, with the Lilywhites also enduring a forgettable weekend after losing to West Ham United.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes reiterated how the Red Devils need a complete revamp in their tactics. Their midfield, too, has left their defense exposed. So much so that the 43-year-old accused Mason Greenwood of cheating. He ran out of position to chase down Virgil van Dijk, forcing the Manchester United defense to change shape.
Not only did this leave the defense perturbed, but it also allowed Robertson, Salah and Keita to get into better scoring positions. It's safe to say that a move up the Premier League table will be an uphill task for Manchester United.