Let the post-mortem begin!
Manchester United fans might have grown unfamiliar with that dreaded feeling on Monday morning. Was it a nightmare? Yes. But was it a dream? Absolutely not. Erik ten Hag has been taking the club in the right direction and it's been some months now since a defeat was so horrific that supporters may have been tempted to take a sick day to avoid the laughter and jokes of colleagues.
7-0. (SEVEN). To bloody Liverpool. A Liverpool who have been far off their high standards this season and are still seven points behind United. It still doesn't quite seem real even now. Where did that come from? It seemed as though the difficult trip to Anfield was being managed perfectly but then a decisive 60 seconds changed it all.
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Casemiro scored but once again saw a header ruled out for off-side. Moments later Cody Gakpo sent Raphael Varane packing back to Madrid and bent the ball into the far corner. A sucker punch for sure, but far from a knockout blow given how both sides were playing.
But two minutes after the restart, when United should have been getting their way back into the game, they were sent flying back to the floor. They lost it. Both on the pitch and in their heads. A second goal after two minutes. A third after five. Goodnight Vienna.
It was clear the game was over from that point. It's hard enough winning at Anfield, especially for United, at the best of times but when you're three down? Well, it's almost certainly game over. Sometimes, you just have to accept that.
But United didn't. They haven't all season. It's been their biggest strength. One that has harkened back to the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson and provided so many great moments. United don't know when they're beaten, don't give up and have come from behind for some excellent results this season.
Barcelona twice, Manchester City, Leeds. United are making a good habit of fighting back from adversity and showing real resilience. They tried to do the same against Liverpool but it was the wrong tactic.
By 3-0 and certainly at 4-0, it's time to shut up shop. Take the L and move on. There will be no heroes today, only villains. By that point, it should have all been about damage limitations but instead United foolishly kept pushing forward looking for a way back into the game and leaving themselves completely open.
Liverpool were ruthless in dealing out their punishment and instead of a result, while still embarrassing, within the realms of normality, they suffered a humiliation that could potentially rock the rest of their season. It will be a big task to recover from such a demoralising drubbing and come back stronger.
Whether it was Ten Hag's instructions or the 'unprofessional' actions of those on the pitch, the second half was managed appallingly and the loss was much worse than it ever should have been allowed to be.
Ten Hag's job now is to ensure it's only the wildest of aberrations and all the great work he has done so far doesn't go to waste. The Dutchman has certainly shown he is capable after recovering strongly after the other dreadful defeats to Brentford and City so has earned the faith.
With the comfortable Carabao Cup triumph and plenty more trophies up for grabs, it felt as though the banter era was finally over, leaving every other supporter in the country mourning over their years of fun. Sunday gave them one last chance to bask in the warming sunshine of the fallen giant's misfortune.
This defeat stings. Of course it does. But it feels like the weirdest of anomalies. The last vestige of a broken team Ten Hag is repairing. If the faith is kept, there's no reason why it can't be the final chapter of United's dark days.
Sunday was a stark reminder of what United had become in a barren decade and it must galvanise them to prevent it from ever happening again.
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