Trent Alexander-Arnold still can't get over Manchester United thrashings

Trent Alexander-Arnold has reflected on Liverpool's 'unbelievable' demolitions of Manchester United from recent years.

The Reds have made a habit of humbling their North West rivals under Jurgen Klopp - with none more enjoyable (from our perspective) than last year's 7-0 embarrassment of the Red Devils at Anfield.

Against a side that were once the crown jewel of English football, Liverpool's vice-captain still struggles to wrap his head around how these sort of thrashings have come to pass on such a regular basis.

"It was unbelievable [to get] those kind of results," Alexander-Arnold told Premier League Productions.

“Games like that, they’re normally very tense, very close, one- or two-goal games. They’re really decided by key moments. But especially the 5-0 away at Old Trafford, going in at half-time 4-0 up it was just, ‘What’s gone on here?!’

“We knew we were an amazing team, we knew how good we were, but at the same time they were also a quality team. We just blew them away. The intensity and the way that we played was outstanding.

“Last season again, 7-0 is a crazy result. We scored late in the first half to go 1-0 up, went in at half-time thinking how hard it was going to be in the second half, not to hang on but to get a result from the game.

“We knew they were going to come out and be aggressive, press us, and to come off the pitch 7-0 is incredible. To score six goals in one half is not an easy thing to do.”

Liverpool go into Sunday's clash with United at the top of the Premier League, while their opponents, paling in comparison, sit 10 points adrift in seventh.

However, for Alexander-Arnold, form becomes a non-factor in a rivalry as intense as this - something that was evidenced last season, when a struggling Liverpool tore Erik ten Hag's high-spirited team to pieces.

Asked about his feelings ahead of the game, Alexander-Arnold added: “Just win! That’s the main thing. It’s the mentality I’ve got going in to every game, to be honest.

“People will talk about their form, our form, results and what’s going on within the clubs, potentially make excuses and things like that, but for us as players it’s still the same game.

“Just because we’re top of the league and they’re not, and they’re potentially going through a bad run of form or whatever, it’s not like we go into the game 1-0 up. It’s still 0-0, 11v11, and it’s a battle.

“Form goes out the window in these kind of games, it’s [about] who wants it more, who is willing to execute the game plan better and who wants to go and get the three points.”

Regardless of recent results, nothing can diminish the sheer magnitude of a fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United - a game steeped in history.

“It is probably the biggest game of the season, home or away,” Alexander-Arnold said.

“It’s different from any other fixture that we have. Of course we potentially have different ambitions and different close rivals, but that rivalry between the fans will always remain, no matter where the teams are in the league, no matter what time of the season.

“It’s special. It’s Anfield! The fans get up for it, the players too.

“The occasion is massive, everyone knows how big it is. It feels different from every other game. It’s probably the one that gets the most viewers over the course of the season, people really tune in to it. It’s a huge global game.”