Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge saw his visit to Old Trafford end on a sour note as his hosts Manchester United were totally outclassed by bitter rivals Liverpool.
United hosted Liverpool in the latest installment of the historical derby between the two North West Premier League giants on Sunday but it turned into a one-sided encounter as the Reds dominated the Red Devils to record a well-deserved 3-0 victory.
Kipchoge was among those watching in the stands, having been invited by United’s minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe whose INEOS firm is in charge of football operations at Old Trafford.
Seated in the director’s box alongside Ratcliffe, INEOS head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford and the club’s CEO Omar Berrada as well as Sporting Director Dan Ashworth, they watched in disappointment as United put up a meek performance which brought the spotlight on manager Erik ten Hag’s future yet again.
Luis Dias gave Liverpool a 2-0 advantage at halftime after two quickfire goals as United struggled with the pace and rhythm of the match before Mohamed Salah got his now customary Old Trafford goal in the second half and the scoreline could have been bigger had Arne Slot’s men took all their chances.
There were moments of worry for Ten Hag when Ratcliffe was seen holding his head in his hands in disappointment as the match wore on.
Kipchoge had earlier visited United’s Carrington training centre where he met the squad, bringing a wave of inspiration just hours before their key match.
He also toured the Old Trafford Museum, the visit coming shortly after a trip to Barcelona, where he engaged with the British America’s Cup team, INEOS Britannia, showcasing his involvement across diverse sporting disciplines within the INEOS Sports Family.
Kipchoge has been part of the INEOS family since Britain’s richest man Ratcliffe backed his INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019 when he went on to become the first man to run a marathon under two hours in Vienna, Austria that year, clocking 1:59:40.
