Mignolet out, Jones in. Switch to three at the back (one of those being Glen Johnson, the others being Skrtel and Lovren). Was it ever going to go well for Liverpool?
Here's the full time report as told by Twitter.
David De Gea showed Liverpool what a quality keeper can do for your confidence.
This is becoming a regular tweet from me but David De Gea = God #MUFC
— Derrick Lynch (@lynch_derrick) December 14, 2014
Raheem Sterling missed and then Brad Jones forgot which way he was supposed to dive.
Sterling misses....Rooney doesn't....maturity the difference... — Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) December 14, 2014
If Sterling thinks he deserves far more than the reported 75,000 a week offered he's got to score there!! Needs to wise up to himself!!
— Alan Cawley (@alancaw) December 14, 2014
Went wrong way, very Brad Jones — Ian Wright (@ihwright) December 14, 2014
That was something I didn't expect. An intelligent, precise cutback from Antonio Valenica. The apocalypse is nigh.
— Cian Carroll (@CianByName) December 14, 2014
Quite a few Liverpool players were taking some stick.
Dreadful game of football and #LFC the bullied. Again. Pathetically repetitive at this stage. — John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) December 14, 2014
When Tony Valencia does you down the right for a goal it's time to re think your defensive game . #joeallen #nuts
— paul galvin (@pgal10) December 14, 2014
gary neville getting fairly stuck into coutinho today - wonder what an england player would have to do to attract such rigorous criticism — Ken Early (@kenearlys) December 14, 2014
Coutinho goal side of Rooney then just doesn't bother tracking him
— aidan o'hara (@oharaa) December 14, 2014
Sterling isnt worth the 30k he is gtn if thats his end product. Let alone the 100k he wants — Mike Kelly (@kellymike87) December 14, 2014
Joe Allen is desperate
— Conor.mortimer (@Conmort) December 14, 2014
Coutinho a very convenient scape-goat here (via @GNev2). Weren't there two holding midfielders supposed to, ahem, hold behind him? — Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) December 14, 2014
As was Brendan Rodgers.
Both teams playing a 3-5-2 but you can tell which one didn't just randomly decide to try it this weekend.
— James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) December 14, 2014
Then Juan Mata 'strayed' offside.
Are you sitting down? Liverpool just let in a goal from a cross. — Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) December 14, 2014
We'll leave the offside call to a neutral. (Although it was possibly hard to spot van Persie's touch)
Offside, anyone?
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) December 14, 2014
Unsurprisingly, some Liverpool fans were wishing a departed hero was still available.
I miss Vidic. Always helps playing against 10 men. — Ravi Hiranand (@RaviCNN) December 14, 2014
Then it was time for the second half. That meant time for Mario but Ken Doherty was having none of it.
Lallana off for Balotelli. Allen still playing.
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) December 14, 2014
Balo's feet there. Sometimes I look at him and just think he has it all. Should really be one of the best in the world by now.
— Rupert Fryer (@Rupert_Fryer) December 14, 2014
Ballotelli on hoping to score :)He cudnt score in copper face jacks!!#niteclub#dublin
— Ken Doherty Official (@kendoherty1997) December 14, 2014
But enough about that, Joey Barton wasn't happy with a certain Man Utd legend's commentary.
Judging by his commentary so far @GNev2 definitely has a full Man United kit on the gantry. Shin pads an all... ????
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 14, 2014
Raheem Sterling had a gilt-edge chance to bring Liverpool back into it, but once again his problems in front of goal were all too apparent. David De Gea was in front of him to be fair though.
David De Gea. Not much else you need to say.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonMEN) December 14, 2014
You'll have people crediting De Gea, but that is plain awful from Sterling.
— Andrew Cunneen (@Cunneen92) December 14, 2014
*Checks Twitter*. Sees Liverpool fans being total cocks about Sterling. *Logs off*
— Paul Tomkins (@paul_tomkins) December 14, 2014
We'll give the neutral the say once again.
Everyone's selling that as a brilliant save from De Gea. Looked more like a dire miss from Sterling to me.
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) December 14, 2014
The writing was on the wall for some.
I suspect Liverpool will not win this game.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) December 14, 2014
Some started to worry about the whereabouts of Steven Gerrard.
Steven Gerrard is so desperate to be noticed that he gets himself booked.
— #Cutteridge (@JamieCutteridge) December 14, 2014
Oh look, Gerrard is playing.
— Michael Sweeting (@M_Sweeting) December 14, 2014
More De Gea heroics, this time to deny Balotelli. (We do not condone Ferdinand's turn of phrase)
Is @D_DeGea bantering here?! Ridiculous goalkeeping so far...
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) December 14, 2014
De Gea again, easily the best player on the pitch
— Peter Schmeichel (@Pschmeichel1) December 14, 2014
David de Gea today pic.twitter.com/EMYFlMxuyl
— Football Funnys (@FootballFunnys) December 14, 2014
3-0, surprisingly it wasn't De Gea. It was Jones and Lovren. (And van Persie)
Any idea what Brad Jones is doing? Anyone? Looked like someone was controlling him on FIFA and the controller stopped working.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonMEN) December 14, 2014
No way back for Liverpool now. Defending for that goal was circus clown stuff. United's quality going forward, though, still scarily good
— Oliver Holt (@OllieHolt22) December 14, 2014
Lovren's 'clearance' there. Wow.
— Richie Sadlier (@RichieSadlier) December 14, 2014
Lovern obviously wants Christmas off..dong his best yet again to be dropped
— Sean Leonard Art (@seanleonardart) December 14, 2014
Balotelli tried, he would have scored too it if wasn't for that pesky De Gea.
Balotelli has been one of very very very very few LFC players who has looked to try something. This loss certainly not on him
— Woe Jalker (@Joe_in_Espana) December 14, 2014
Thoughts turned to the managers.
Van Gaal might be reinventing football here. Apparently you don't need a defence or midfield, just clinical strikers and a top goalkeeper.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonMEN) December 14, 2014
'Am I trending yet?' pic.twitter.com/acbTmYjZuL
— Matt (@MattSav7) December 14, 2014
