For generations, the clash between Manchester United and Liverpool has been the defining fixture of English football—two titans from neighboring cities, boasting more league titles between them than any other clubs in history. But Sunday's edition of this famous rivalry felt curiously subdued, almost like a footnote in a weekend packed with higher-stakes drama.

With Arsenal and Manchester City battling for the title, and Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, and Tottenham fighting to avoid joining Wolves and Burnley in relegation, the United-Liverpool showdown slipped to perhaps seventh in the weekend's importance. That's a remarkable fall for a fixture that once decided championships.

United's 3-2 victory secured their spot in next season's Champions League, while Liverpool need just three points from their remaining three games to join them—barring an extraordinary swing in goal difference. But for both clubs, the biggest question looming isn't about points or positions. It's about who will be in the dugout come August.

The game itself was ragged enough to cast doubt on both Michael Carrick and Arne Slot's suitability for their respective sides. All indications from Anfield suggest Liverpool will stick with Slot, though when United raced to a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes, there was a moment when this defeat felt so crushing it might have made his position untenable.

Let's be honest: Liverpool haven't been good this season. Eleven Premier League losses and a Champions League quarter-final exit where they were utterly outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain tell that story. But there are explanations beyond tactics or form.

The most profound is the death of Diogo Jota. It will likely take years for players to fully process its impact, and perhaps longer still to articulate what it meant to the squad. Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and it would be extraordinary if it hadn't affected performances.

There were also football reasons to expect a difficult season. Liverpool won the title last year when nobody predicted it, having made just one senior signing the previous summer. By season's end, the squad clearly needed fresh legs and fresh ideas. That work now falls to whoever takes the reins.

For United, the picture is equally uncertain. This win was vital, but the performance raised as many questions as it answered. The next few weeks will be pivotal for both clubs as they decide not just who leads them forward, but what kind of football identity they want to build.

One thing is certain: the next chapter of this rivalry will be written by new managers. And for fans of both clubs, that's a story worth watching closely.