Erik ten Hag's reaction to Liverpool FC thumping said a lot about Manchester United's future

What a difference a week makes.

Exactly seven days after Erik ten Hag had forgotten to pick up the Carabao Cup at the end of his press conference at Wembley, the Dutchman was publicly accusing his players of failing to "fulfil their jobs" in the immediate aftermath of Manchester United's heaviest defeat in almost a century. Sunday's 7-0 battering to Liverpool at Anfield was a new low in the club's history and a result, unfortunately, that is not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.

After being hammered 4-0 on their last visit to Anfield 11 months ago, United arrived on Merseyside a different beast, fuelled by fresh optimism. Their resurrection under Ten Hag this season meant that their supporters in the away end were feeling optimistic about seeing their team score at Anfield for the first time since Jesse Lingard found the back of the net in Jose Mourinho's final game in charge in December 2018.

READ MORE: Erik ten Hag blasts United players after Liverpool thrashing

Instead, those that did decide to stay until the end saw United concede seven in a game for the first time in the Premier League era. It was a stark reminder that, despite the title chatter that has crept in over recent weeks, the Reds remain a work in progress and a long, long way away from being considered genuine title contenders.

Their capitulation in the second half was a disgrace, with not one of the 11 players on the pitch stepping forward and taking responsibility. Bruno Fernandes, who so many have described as a shoo-in to claim the captaincy on a permanent basis from next season, did not display the leadership credentials of a player captaining United.

"I must start with Bruno Fernandes because I've had enough of him throwing his arms around at