It was almost a flashback to 2002. Or even 2014.
The two most successful clubs in English football swapping positions, prompting discussion of a power shift down the other end of the East Lancs Road
This, though, is 2021.
And rather than those affiliated with Liverpool loudly banging the drum for their club, now there is a role reversal with Manchester United having leapfrogged the Reds in the Premier League standings.
That has been enough to prompt Rio Ferdinand to declare Jurgen Klopp's side are "now behind" United with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in the ascendancy.
Ferdinand's past experience of the tussle between the bitter North West rivals indicates he should really know better.
Of course, from a purely statistical point of view, he is correct - Jurgen Klopp's side did indeed finish behind United in the Premier League table.
But that it was only one place and five points behind the runners-up underlined why the Reds remain the more likely to seriously challenge Manchester City's dominance once again next season.
Ferdinand rather conveniently dismisses the troubles with which Liverpool have had to contend - "they’ll have their excuses and reasons," he says - but the harsh fact is the Reds struggled for a significant period to adapt to a succession of centre-backs having their season ended prematurely.
United, largely free of major length absences for much of the campaign, discovered the hard way during the closing weeks of the season the impact such absences can have.
Without leading centre-back and skipper Harry Maguire, they lost three of their final five games - including a 4-2 loss at home to Liverpool - culminating in the Europa League final defeat to Villarreal.
That reverse in Gdansk ensured United ended the campaign with the same silverware as Liverpool - none. And that they were even in the European showpiece was due to being eliminated from the Champions League group stage by an RB Leipzig side Klopp's men subsequently comfortably held off in the first knockout round.
With City wobbling at the start of the season, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur changing managers and Arsenal nowhere, this was the year where the cards were stacked heavily in favour of United.
But when the pressure was on and expectations were raised, Solskjaer's side simply couldn't deliver - as was so often the case for Liverpool during the Premier League glory era at Old Trafford.
In 2002, Liverpool finished second ahead of United. The following season they beat them in the League Cup final but finished outside the top four as United eased to the title.
Then, in 2014, the Reds challenged City for the title while United floundered in seventh. It took Liverpool five more years to win a trophy on their way to regaining their perch, by which time United had won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League.
Yes, there was a 38-point swing in United's favour this season. Yes, they have improved during the past 15 months.
But there's every chance they will be in for a rude awakening next season if they believe Ferdinand's sentiments about Liverpool.
