In our Liverpool slump: the familiar story of Newcastle's failure at Anfield reached episode 30.

A promising start had raised hopes of a long-awaited first win here since 1995, only for reality to rapidly intervene as the lead was lost. A ragged ending made the full time whistle eagerly awaited, before yet another downcast and empty-handed walk across Stanley Park. Rinse and repeat,

Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven had all beaten Arne Slot's side here since October; the hosts winless in five Premier League outings at the first whistle.

The perfect time then for United to roll into town, offering delusions of competence before reverting to type and distributing gifts. The break point inevitably was scoring a goal: at no other club can taking the lead away from home trigger as much apprehension as elation among travelling fans.

Full time found Eddie Howe's side winless in three PL games, on the wrong end of their heaviest away defeat since the 1-4 reverse at Aston Villa in April 2025. That's despite the visitors more than holding their own from the first whistle against the defending champions, winning the most corner kicks we can ever recall from them on this ground and disrupting the attacking rhythm of the Reds.

After a Harvey Barnes struck the goal frame, Anthony Gordon ended his wait for a Premier League goal from open play with a crisp finish at the Kop End. Sadly, the 36th minute opener roused the Reds and a quick-fire brace from Hugo Ekitike gave them the lead within ten minutes.

1-2 down at the break, United's hopes of avoiding defeat ebbed away over an increasingly confused second period when the exertions of Wednesday's Paris tie became evident, especially in midfield.

Before the expected round of Newcastle replacements, Liverpool ended the game as a contest when Florian Wirtz steered in a third. Insult was then added to injury when Nick Pope dropped the ball to gift Ibrahima Konate a fourth goal in added time.

United starting line-up saw Sven Botman and Lewis Miley drop to the bench - neither deemed fit to start or come on - and Gordon at centre forward, flanked by Barnes and Anthony Elanga.

With Joelinton a confirmed absentee for some weeks, Bruno Guimaraes was also missing - his bench inclusion in midweek evidently for team morale purposes rather than active service.

Alexis Mac Allister made a pathetic attempt to get Gordon red-carded, tumbling over clutching his neck after Gordon brushed past him. Goalkeeper Alisson was more successful, his mis-control inviting a challenge from the same Newcastle player and another comedy fall after the merest of contacts.

Barnes saw a 20-yard shot hit the inside of the post in the 26th minute after a free-kick was touched to him but ten minutes later United took the lead. Pope denied former Toon transfer target Ekitike before a sweeping move upfield ended in Gordon's third goal against Liverpool in as many seasons.

That lead lasted just five minutes until Etikike prodded in Wirtz's cross at the near post and then two minutes later, Ekitike strode into the box and fired home again, Malick Thiaw trailing in his wake.

After the break, Barnes had an effort saved by Alisson and Gordon put his shot wide but United were fatally undone midway through the second half when Mo Salah set up Wirtz for a routine finish.

Only then did the first of five substitutions bring Woltemade and Wissa to the pitch. Gordon stayed on, before the late introduction of William Osula completed a quartet of strikers. What the intention of that was escaped us, but our belief that the loss of Isak derailed this season is expanding to believe that the error was compounded by how we tried to replace him. 

The more that Big Nick sees of the Premier League, the less he seems to fancy it, while fielding Elanga currently is akin to playing with ten men. Kieran Trippier was understandably more effective than Lewis Miley had been at getting the alleged winger to cover in front, but it was marginal.  

Inevitably, the goal action came at the other end, defender Konate accepting the gift with a scuffed deflection on his return to the side following the death of his father. That fourth goal gave the final score a lop-sided look, but the direction of travel had been evident for an hour.

United's away day issues were never going to be solved at a venue where their shortcomings have been ruthlessly and almost perpetually exposed. Having witnessed every one of the 29 previous failures here, making that total 30 was hardly a shock.

Not every loss is an outrage and the performative rage of some alleged fans leaves us cold. However, an underlying trend in many of our games this season does concern us and cannot be laid completely at Isak's door. Take away Bruno's clutch of dramatic interventions and we'd really be in the clarts. 

Once we've got past what will surely be a non-event on Wednesday (Haaland, 8 minutes) things need to be different at Spurs - and at home to Brentford - as cup glamour and distractions recede and the Premier League moves front and centre again.

Biffa