The sooner that Man United’s players can get back out on the pitch and right the wrongs from their Anfield debacle, the better.

It wasn’t just a season-defining result but an era-defining one, and it’s undone all of the brilliant work that Erik ten Hag had instilled to that point.

Indeed, so confident were the players of catching the Premier League’s top two, that according to the Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler, the possibility of just that had even been discussed openly in their WhatsApp group.

? In the Manchester United players’ WhatsApp group, they had spoken about the prospect of catching the top two, Arsenal & Manchester City, before their 7-0 loss away to Liverpool. ? [@ChrisWheelerDM] #afc pic.twitter.com/UOA5coKQn1

— afcstuff (@afcstuff) March 7, 2023

After Sunday’s game, however, it’s fair to speculate that all of that posturing and confidence will have taken a huge battering.

Watching Bruno Fernandes’ performance above any other United player leaves one in disbelief. The captain of this proud institution throwing his arms up at every decision, giving up as players strode past him and even pushing an assistant.

It certainly showed that when the going got tough, most of the Red Devils were incapable of getting going, and that’s likely to be a huge worry in the run-in for ten Hag. 

The Dutchman’s tactics and acumen to this point has United in the top three, but with Tottenham just four points behind and Liverpool and Newcastle seven and eight points respectively from third, they are catchable.

If they allow the pressure to get to them again, then those private messages are going to come back to haunt them.