It took just five minutes for Manchester United to fall behind to Liverpool on Tuesday night, after the Anfield front three pulled the United back five asunder with quick passing and imaginative movement.
United skipper Harry Maguire did not know whether to follow Sadio Mane into midfield or run back to his own goal as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohammed Salah raced in behind.
Luis Diaz applied the finishing touches before Salah doubled the lead 17 minutes later. The United plan was undone and another heavy defeat was on the cards.
Former Liverpool European Cup winner Mark Lawrenson joined Joe Molloy on the Football Show to discuss United’s latest humiliation. Lawrenson, formed part of a famous centre-half partnership alongside Alan Hansen and gave his thoughts on why it is going wrong for Maguire.
“His head is all over the place. The bottom line is that if you are in that position and not playing well, just pretend you’re a pessimist. At the very least if you retreat then you have some chance of getting a tackle in or stopping somebody illegally,” said Lawrenson.
“His head is full of mush. (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka and (Diogo) Dalot beside him, they all look like they’ve met in a pub.”
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United failed to create any danger to the Liverpool goal, mustering up just two shots in the whole game. They failed to retain the ball either, with Thiago, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson dominating the midfield.
“It was embarrassing,” said Lawrenson. “They could not get out (of their own half). They got out once in the first half, but (Marcus) Rashford’s touch let him down, which wasn’t surprising given he’s not been great for a long time.”
“They never had a sequence of passing in Liverpool's half,” said Lawrenson.
Ralf Rangnick switched from a 5-at-the-back to a more familiar four at the back at halftime, when he introduced Jadon Sancho for Phil Jones. However, it failed to make any real difference, it was still one-way traffic.
“They took Jones off, he hasn't really played. He didn’t know where he was playing in all honesty. They just don’t know what they are doing.”
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David De Gea has been rumoured to possibly be on his way out at the end of the season. Expected new head coach Erik Ten Hag has made it clear that he will require a ‘keeper who can play comfortably with the ball at his feet.
Last night, De Gea kicked two goal kicks straight out of play as Liverpool pressed high. This was in addition to last Saturday when De Gea kicked a relatively simple back pass straight out of play under pressure from a Norwich City striker.
Lawrenson has been impressed by the shotstopping of the Spanish ‘keeper this season however.
“The decision making of the whole team was really really poor. The best player is the goalkeeper. Generally he’s been head and shoulders above everybody,” said Lawrenson.
On a day of more behind the scenes turmoil at Manchester United, chief scout Jim Lawlor will leave in the close season. Also, the club’s global head of scouting Marcel Bout has gone in moves that may allow an overhaul of the recruitment process for the new manager.
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