Clinical Manchester United increased the pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as they capitalised on some poor defending to run out comfortable victors at Old Trafford.
Rodgers - who dropped struggling goalkeeper Simon Mignolet for Brad Jones - can point to a succession of brilliant saves from United's David De Gea and a controversial second goal from Juan Mata as significant factors in defeat.
This, however, will do little to ease the growing concerns for Rodgers and Liverpool, with the memory of their thrilling 3-0 win here in March - in a sequence that almost took them to their first title in 24 years - seeming an age away.