Erik ten Hag said it in his own words; Manchester United's 7-0 humiliation against Liverpool at Anfield was a "reality check." But as the dust settles on a defeat which equals United's biggest-ever losing margin, the result might just work in Ten Hag's favour.
There is plenty of work still to be done at Old Trafford to turn United into a challengers for the biggest trophies again -- the Premier League and Champions League -- and Sunday's brutal dismantling against Jurgen Klopp's side will enable Ten Hag to point to the cracks that have been papered over during his team's resurgence over his brief time as manager at the club.