Mohamed Salah and Liverpool break records in 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United

Liverpool brought Manchester United crashing down to earth in a stunning 7-0 rout in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday.

Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all struck twice and Roberto Firmino scored the other, with six of the goals coming in an explosive second-half performance.

A week after winning the League Cup, United lost by their heaviest margin to Liverpool.

It also delivered a major blow to Erik ten Hag's four-pronged pursuit of trophies, with a league title challenge now looking increasingly unlikely.

Liverpool, meanwhile, took advantage of losses for top four rivals Newcastle and Tottenham on Saturday to strengthen their own bid to qualify for the Champions League.

Salah became Liverpool's record Premier League scorer as they put the boot into United's chances of joining the title race.

Three of their goals came in a seven-minute spell either side of half-time which left the visitors, who have not won at Anfield since Jurgen Klopp's first encounter with them in January 2016, reeling.

Salah provided a timely reminder of the standards that the next generation have to meet with two goals of his own - either side of a Nunez header - to go past Robbie Fowler as the club's record Premier League scorer with his 128th and 129th goals.

United had looked marginally the better side for 43 minutes before Gakpo's superb finish from Liverpool's first attempt on target gave the hosts the halftime lead.

Within five minutes of the restart it was all over as a contest with Nunez making it 2-0 with a header after some comical United defending before a lightning Liverpool counter-attack led by Salah ended with Gakpo finishing in style for 3-0.

With United in disarray Salah got in on the act with a clinical finish in