United draw double Liverpool blank for ninth time in history

Manchester United and Liverpool have now faced each other 178 times in league action - or 89 double-headers. Tuesday's 4-0 humiliation at Anfield made sure it was the worst ever aggregate score over two league games; and only a ninth time in history the Red Devils have drawn a 180-minute blank against their biggest rivals. 

It is only the third time in Premier League history that United have failed to score in both league games against their bitter Merseyside rivals - the previous times coming in the 2013/14 season and, prior to that, 13 years earlier in 2000/01.

The pain of the 2013/14 results were eased slightly by a League Cup win in September against Liverpool - sandwiched betwen a 1-0 top-flight reverse at Anfield, and a 3-0 home humbling at Old Trafford.

While United won the league title in 2001, they were beaten twice by third-placed Liverpool, without troubling the scorers. Danny Murphy beat Fabien Barthez at Old Trafford in a game which saw Luke Chadwick sent off, while away from home - despite the dismissal of Murphy - Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler put United to the sword.

United first drew a double league blank against Liverpool in the 1919/20 season, where the sides both shared out stalemates on Boxing Day and New Year's Day; but 54 years would pass before it happened against in 1963/64.

It would then happen three times in the Seventies - though 0-0 draws in the 73/74 and 76/77 seasons meant it could have been worse for Tommy Docherty's Red Army.

Under Dave Sexton, in 1978/79, United were thumped 3-0 at home and 2-0 away; but an FA Cup win over Liverpool, courtesy of a replay, eased the pain somewhat.

Prior to the dawn of the Premier League, in 1991/1992, United failed to score against Liverpool again in both league games - drawing 0-0 at home, and losing 2-0 away. The Red Devils finished four points behind league champions Leeds - meaning these results cost United the Football League crown.

Tuesday's 4-0 embarrassment, however, not only saw United draw two blanks again - but was the worst aggregate league result between the two sides in the fixture's long, illustrious history. The nine goal margin highlighted the gulf in quality between the two sides as the Scousers hunt an unprecedented Quadruple, while United need 11 points from their final five league games to stop this being their worst Premier League points haul in the competition's history. Despite this, however, there is still an outside chance Ralf Rangnick could lead United into the top four - as fellow hopefuls also wobble.