Perhaps Patrice Evra might receive a round of applause should he ever return to Anfield. Luis Suarez knew vitriol would rain down from The Kop on Tuesday night but nothing could have prepared him for the repetitive bile of 'F**k off, Suarez' reverberating around an arena he once illuminated.
Anfield is a stadium that makes opposition players buckle. Last year, a Liverpudlian friend noticed the Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker was shaking as he prepared to take a throw in the quarter-final first leg. Anfield is unctuously revered by portions of the British media and You'll Never Walk Alone is observed as if it is a national anthem. Once it threw Suarez off his stride Barcelona were goosed.
This was always going to be one of the most unpalatable weeks for Manchester United in a number of years, be it toasting a Manchester City captain's Exocet or sitting through the car crash television of Tuesday night's semi-final. Sunday is like the Argo operation: There are only bad options.
"City or Liverpool are gonna win the f*****g league," Ryan Giggs said in his final pre-match meeting as caretaker United manager five years ago. The circle is full.
The Champions League offered levity and a possible final for the purists in Barca against Ajax, clubs in thrall to Johan Cruyff. Scrap that. Even after United's spineless season ends on Sunday they will be watching through their fingers as City possibly go for an unprecedented British treble in the FA Cup final. Liverpool could end their campaign with double the amount of European Cups United have.
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Whether it is Liverpool or Ajax or Tottenham who triumph in Madrid next month there is no reprieve for United or Ed Woodward; the outcome is going to reflect horrendously on them. Heads need to roll and roles need to change.
It was just 14 months ago Marcus Rashford ridiculed Trent Alexander-Arnold in a commanding victory. The opposite directions those players have since headed in represent their clubs' mentality shifts. Rashford's camp feel he is deserving of £200,000-a-week in a campaign he has scored as many club goals as last term. The vibrant Alexander-Arnold - known only as 'Trent' by his supporters and besotted media cheerleaders - is the poster boy for a new generation of Scousers.
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What a surreal reminder it is Liverpool finished fourth last season - two places behind United. Liverpool bought to become champions and United bought to finish in the top four. Liverpool have a sporting director, United have not.
Should Tottenham recover against Ajax, Woodward will have eschewed a Champions League final coach who was interested in the United job. United sources were keen to point out earlier this season Tottenham are devoid of a technical director. And they still unearthed Dele Alli, paid £11.4m for Toby Alderweireld, £4m for Eric Dier and took a punt on Lucas Moura. A right winger. They have not signed anyone since Moura 16 months ago and will still finish above United.
It is disingenuous to view the renascent Ajax's season as a freak when they have outclassed Real Madrid and Juventus on their own patches. Their major additions were Daley Blind and the former Southampton playmaker Dusan Tadic but they prioritise their academy dream factory. As recently as three seasons ago, United's was co-run by the club secretary John Alexander. United are starting to mine gems and Solskjaer has all but confirmed teenagers' full-time first-team squad promotions for next season.
Liverpool and Tottenham had to react to new nadirs: The wibble of Kenny Dalglish's second managerial stint and the slapdash spending that offset Gareth Bale's departure prompted reboots at both clubs. Certain summers break the camel's back and United's is paraplegic.
And Evra is not the solution.
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