9 months on from a 3-0 win at Old Trafford - the reds were humbled 3-0 by a distinctly average looking Man United.
Brendan Rodgers finally dropped the hapless Simon Mignolet (about 15 matches later than he should) but without a striker the reds failed to convert the chances they were gifted throughout this game.
Liverpool actually performed better than in many of this seasons games, but their ludicrous summer transfer strategy again left them without a striker in the first XI.
Raheem Sterling should have had a hat-trick, but his abysmal finishing proved why many continue to question the hype surrounding the 20 year old attacking midfielder.
Mario Balotelli was sent on for the second half - but he too failed to add to his zero Premier League goals for Liverpool in what is turning out to be the season of hell for Brendan Rodgers, Ian Ayre and the rest of the transfer committee.
The big news from the team news was the re-appearance of Brad Jones. Massively overdue, but surprisingly arriving just after one of Mignolet's only decent performances of the season.
In the 12th minute Raheem Sterling hesitated in front of goal - and within 20 seconds a solid counter-attack by United saw Wayne Rooney ruthlessly dispatch the ball into the net.
Glen Johnson limped off midway through the first half - allowing Liverpool's player of November, Kolo Toure, to be brought on.
In the 40th minute an Ashley Young cross was headed on by Van Persie to the clearly offside Juan Mata who headed in. It was at least a yard offside but was given, in typical Old Trafford fashion. The clearest mistaken offside seen for years in the Premier League - but the only mistake that can be forgiven on behalf of Brendan Rodgers in this sorry mess.
At half time, Adam Lallana was replaced by Mario Balotelli. This is the Adam Lallana who had shown a lot of promise and managed to commit some United players to yellow-card challenges in the first half. Meanwhile Joe 'Sideways' Allen was still on the pitch.
Liverpool had chances to get back into this game but Raheem Sterling's profligacy in front of goal made a mockery of his hesitation over signing a new Liverpool deal. Mario Balotelli also should have got on the scoresheet. Eternal optimists may point to brilliance from De Gea, but pragmatists like us refuse to believe that De Gea would have stopped great footballers firing those balls in.
In the 71st minute Dejan Lovren cleared (in his view) the ball 6 yards to Juan Mata who passed to Van Persie to fire in. A sorry 'clearance' from arguably Liverpool's worst purchase in the 122 year history of the club.
The game ebbed away and a rather poor Man United find themselves a huge 10 points clear of Liverpool in the Premier League table. As Brendan Rodgers goes to sleep wishing he had Roy Hodgson's points total from 2010-11 the knives will no doubt be getting sharpened at Anfield, or a few thousand miles away in Boston.
With games against Bournemouth in the League Cup quarter final and 'top four' challengers Arsenal next weekend the Liverpool boss could well be entering a monumental week in his career.
The question for Liverpool fans is how many others should be held accountable for the mess created from this summer.