Liverpool's emphatic victory over Manchester United will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Building on Cody Gakpo's first-half strike, Jurgen Klopp's side added six goals after the break to humiliate Erik ten Hag's side in ruthless fashion. Confidence within the team will be significantly boosted on the back of this scoreline, which can now be carried into Saturday's showdown with Bournemouth on the South Coast.
Replicating the performance produced versus United will prove to be somewhat of a tall order, although the Reds did hit nine past the Cherries back in August, but three points is an absolute must as the hunt for a Champions League place continues.
READ MORE: 'I really hope your leg is broke' - How Man United dressing room reacted after forward cried vs Liverpool
READ MORE: 'I apologise for saying that' - Callum Wilson backtracks on bold Liverpool claim
Looking ahead to this league meeting, four supporters have shared their views as part of a weekly ECHO fan column.
Rhys Buchanan (city centre, @Rhys_Buchanan) - Salah doubters have been left looking foolish
The post-match scenes in The Glenbuck last Sunday were of pure jubilance as pals spilled through the boozer doors in utter delirium. In a performance filled with highlights and heroes, my standout was an obvious one: Mohamed Salah netting his second and George Sephton booming through the tannoy that our Egyptian King had become Liverpool FC's all-time Premier League top goalscorer.
Looking back, it makes me laugh that doubters thought he was a one-season wonder. His ridiculous contribution to this golden era under Klopp has stood head and shoulders above everyone else's for me. It's special that we're living through history as he continues to climb the ladder of our record scorers. Long may his reign continue, starting with a few goals on Saturday.
Andrew Cullen (Widnes, @brothersred5) - Talk of eras being over abruptly ended
'They say our days are numbered, we’re not famous anymore...' goes the song often heard on the Kop. In the build-up to Sunday’s game, there were murmurings that this new-look United had overtaken a declining Liverpool.
Those whispers were vanquished by full-time as beleaguered Red Devils staggered from the hallowed green turf in L4. They had truly felt the wrath of Klopp’s Liverpool. It was a reminder (for those who had lost touch) that our team, despite a temporary loss of confidence and form, is still a force to be reckoned with.
Manchester United, who collapsed as rapidly as Bruno Fernandes under innocuous contact, were subject to the kind of blitz attacking football born in the 2017/18 season. It was a just reward for the sheer intensity of our play and the desire to keep our boots firmly on their throats even when we were three, four and five-nil to the good. Seventh heaven.
David Shams (Washington D.C., @ShamsWriter) - Bournemouth will be dreading Saturday afternoon
Bournemouth can’t be feeling too great right about now. Bottom of the table, fighting being sent right back down to the Championship. And coming up this weekend, a match with the high-flying Reds six days removed from a seven-nil thrashing of rivals Manchester United. If there were any hopes of forgetting their 9-0 setback four matches into the season, that’s simply not going to happen.
But Liverpool can ill afford to rest on their laurels. As dominating as Sunday’s performance was, the season’s not done yet. Fourth place, and with it the last remaining Champions League spot, remains in the balance with 13 matches to go.
The Reds are hitting form at the right moment. Peaking, playing unbelievable football, five straight clean sheets in the league. I’m still bearish, though. Burned by my own pre-season certitude that we’d go again and, this time, win the whole lot.
We all know what happened, but that’s all fine and dandy. Belief, disbelief, hope, despair. What would this whole exercise be without a little bit of up and down? I don't care how it’s done, and neither should you; the only thing that matters is returning from the Vitality Stadium with all three points.
James Noble (Worcestershire, @james_noble98) - Gakpo and Nunez continuing to grow
Some matches reverberate: Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United felt like one of those. 'Hang it in the Louvre' has been a regular caption for those scoreboard snaps. The depth of meaning won’t half be enhanced if it’s built on, and made part of a longer-term masterpiece.
From back to front, there was excellence, echoes of recent seasons and signs of what’s being worked towards. Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez’s doubles reflected players growing into exciting roles. Record-breaker Mohamed Salah remains quite the role model in that respect, meanwhile. Roberto Firmino, two days after news broke of his summer departure, provided the typically clever seventh. Dazzler. Sunday can be one of many steps forward.
Bournemouth lost 9-0 at Anfield in August, but hard work will evidently be needed from the Reds on Saturday lunchtime. Despite currently sitting bottom, how close Gary O’Neil’s team pushed Arsenal last weekend highlighted the threats they can pose.
Then there’s Wednesday’s Champions League second leg at the Bernabeu. The 5-2 aggregate deficit gives us some catching up to do. Doing so in that ground, against this Real Madrid, is some challenge. Still, it’s 90 minutes where plenty can happen, as recent days have demonstrated. Sunday was quite the stairway to seven. Now to keep climbing.
READ NEXT:
- Manuel Pellegrini pokes fun at Manchester United after Liverpool humiliation
- John Henry and Jurgen Klopp have pointed out glaring Man United mistake that Liverpool have avoided
- Jurgen Klopp has already signed player for vital Liverpool role Roberto Firmino has grown into
- Jude Bellingham latest as Liverpool 'growing in confidence' but one hurdle remains
- Jurgen Klopp may finally have replaced Sadio Mane with devastating new Liverpool partnership
