Sky pundits are not likely to last long in the job if they spend too much airtime sitting on the fence.
In the world of broadcasting these days, hyperbole, extremes, black and white with little or no grey is the territory to inhabit, which is what makes Gary Neville and Roy Keane box office and particularly on Manchester United.
But if last night reached new levels of disgust and dissatisfaction from the pair after United’s capitulation, statistics from Anfield suggest they were well within their rights to be fuming.
If the 4-0 result was bad enough and the performance even worse, the numbers which the analysts will take back to the manager this morning in report form are nothing short of abysmal. Asked what the difference between the two sides Neville could barely splutter his words out: "Everything was the difference. Manchester United were a million miles away from that Liverpool team in every department.”
Possession statistics show Liverpool had the ball for 71.6 per cent of the time when it was in play, compared to United’s 28.4.
They had 14 shots to United’s two, five on target to United’s one. To demonstrate what the eyes told you, that Liverpool found it all too easy to pass their way around United’s static structure, Jurgen Klopp’s side had over two touches to every one of United’s at 1083 to 503.
They had 897 passes compared to United’s 354, nine corners to two. Indeed, the only stats where United came out on top were the ones which showed how under the cosh they were – 22 tackles to Liverpool’s 15, 16 clearances to the home side’s six.
Both Keane and Neville were furious about the lack of aggression shown by United’s players despite the fact they received two cautions to Liverpool’s one. Neville praised academy graduate and second-half substitute Hannibal Mejbri for getting a yellow card; at least showing some passion.
But he could not stop himself bracketing this performance as “an all-time low” in his 42 years of watching United: “I have never seen it as bad as that. I have never seen a Manchester United team wilt in a football game in my 42 years of watching them.”
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Liverpool’s dominance has been complete over United this season which will hurt other United fans. This is only the sixth time a Premier League opponent has done the double over them without conceding a goal, and the third time Liverpool have shut them out in a season (2000-01 and 2013-14).
No team now has a longer run against United without defeat (eight matches) in the competition than Liverpool. And following the 5-0 at Old Trafford in October, this is the second worst aggregate defeat home and away beaten only by Sunderland’s 0-11 verdicts in 1892-93.
It is a good job Keane was not around back then but last night he accused United of having “no soul”, of soon-to-be out of contract players being “gone already” despite hauling sackloads of cash away to the bank every week - and most damning of all, of having no team spirit.
It is hard to disagree with either of the two former United legends who, despite the fact they are paid for strident opinion, on this occasion do not seem to be shouting for attention but crying for help.
