Erik ten Hag will still have confidence that he can turn things around at Manchester United and build a team capable of challenging for greater honours than their recent Carabao Cup win.
That being said, one has to wonder how much the Dutch coach will wincing with regret over his pre-season prediction over the prospect of eras coming to an end in the blue half of Manchester and the red of Merseyside.
“In this moment, I admire them both, Manchester City and Liverpool,” the former Ajax boss told reporters back in 2022, as was relayed by the Manchester Evening News.
“They both play really fantastic football, both Liverpool and Man City.
“But you will always see an era can come to an end and I am looking forward to battle with them, and I am sure all the other Premier League clubs will want to do that.”
Liverpool, for their part, despite all the concerns over consistency and the future of a squad acknowledged to be in desperate need of investment, were resplendent at Anfield.
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The Red Devils’ away record was hardly a source of comfort nor encouragement to begin with ahead of their visit to L4 having only secured one win against the top 12 teams in the league all season, courtesy of stats issued on Twitter by @BassTunedToRed.
United have still only won one away game against a team in the top 12. For all their progress, still some way to go. https://t.co/UFIToKsOQO
— David Comerford (@Dave_Comerford) March 5, 2023
Add on top a 7-0 demolition suffered at the hands of a Liverpool side that, quite frankly, hasn’t been close to firing on all cylinders in a manner reticent of prior silverware-winning campaigns, and it’s clear that the mountain Ten Hag’s men have to climb is yet larger and more arduous than they perhaps anticipated.
On our end, the progress is there for all to see having secured 13 points from an available 15 in our last five league fixtures.
Keep up that league form and you’d be hardpressed not to back the Reds when it comes to qualifying for the heralded Champions League spots in May.