More of the same. We've been here before.
Scoreline may not be as bad as previous matches (although it's not great) but we've seen United not show up, at home, to a rival, and get turned over.
Liverpool didn't even have to get out of third gear yet could've scored more than 3 when looking at their chances. Most oppositions over the last few years in fact, could play in cruise control as eventually, United will find a way to cock up.
Cockchester United. That's what we are.
The same happened at Brighton as MUFC didn't start this game off particularly badly. They had more possession, kept the ball well, didn't panic but as is our wont, we make a catastrophic error which leads to our undoing.
Even before LFC's first goal, not tracking back by Marcus Rashford almost led to Trent Alexander-Arnold having a free shot at the back post which luckily, turned out to be offside.
That was in the firts 5 minutes.
Casemiro then did, I don't even know what.
That pass to Ryan Gravenberch made no sense and as everyone started to move forward, we were caught in defence and Luis Diaz had a free header at the back post.
1-0 and I think at that point, it was game over.
7 minutes later, it was the same trio of players that helped make it 1-0 made it 2-0.
Casemiro mistake, Mo Salah assist, Diaz goal.
If it wasn't over at 1-0, it definitely was at 2-0.
Thanks to his disasterclass, Casemiro had to be hooked off at halftime (wonder what he;'s thinking) but the problem is, the only proper replacement on the bench was Toby Collyer, a teenager.
Thankfully, he didn't make any errors.
Also luckliy for United, Liverpool didn't put the hammer down despite a flurry of chances where to be honest, they probably should've scored 3 more.
Salah, Diogo Jota and Domink Szoboszlai all had amazing chances to increase the score.
Ironically, I don't think United's defence were utterly shite as Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs De Ligt and Diogo Dalot were our better players.
However, the passing out from the back was dire and that put us under unnecessary pressure.
Speaking of which, Kobbie Mainoo was caught out in midfield much like Casemiro in the first half. This led to Salah's goal to make it 3-0 and bring some PTSD of games against our rivals from the past.
This shows how much of a problem that CDM position is for United. Manuel Ugarte HAS to work otherwise we will have a huge problem.
United created little and less but funnily enough, we perhaps should've scored 2 as Joshua Zirkzee, who made his first start for the club, needed to put the ball in the back of the net but couldn't finish.
Other than that, we did next to nothing.
Erik ten Hag made some changes to the starting lineup in the hopes that things would improve. It obviously didn't. His tactics will be questioned again and so will his substitutions.
Hardly any improvements were made to the defeat at Brighton nor much improvement throughout his time at the club.
The MUFC boss is a man under pressure just three games in but more than just losing two of those three, it's the performances that have been the major worry.
Very poor from the Dutchman and his side.
Ratings:
Onana - 4
Mazraoui - 5
De Ligt - 5
Martinez - 4.5
Dalot - 5
Casemiro - 1
Mainoo - 4
Garnacho - 5
Bruno - 3
Rashford - 4
Zirkzee - 4
Collyer - 6
Amad - 6 MOTM
Maguire - 6
Eriksen - 6
Erik ten Hag - 2
Final Thoughts
I don't really have much to say about that tbh. I really thought that this game would cause us to raise our game considering our poor start to the season, it's at home and it's Liverpool.
More fool I.
I didn't agree with the starting lineup as Rashford needed to be dropped for Amad; the tactics of having some sort of 4-0-6 just doesn't work as it leaves us wide open; we didn't create anything in attack; our passing our from the back was terrible; and the energy and leadership was lacking.
At least it was only 3-0 though. It really ought to have been more.
I do back ten Hag but it's games like these and last week where that backing starts to go down a little. You know you have problems as well when the fans at the ground start booing some of your calls.
That is de ja vu as well because it isn't the first time Erik ten Hag has received boos from the Old Trafford faithful. Those are worrying signs.
His favoritism was the one main area of his managing that I felt was completely on him. The injuries, off-field issues and mid-season takeover were things out of his control but his team selections, substitutions and tactics are all on him.
The fact that he keeps sticking with certain players and it's not only Rashford as Bruno was shite and if any centre-back were to come off, it should've been Martinez because as much as I love him. He was worse than De Ligt.
Why the manager won't change certain players when they're performing badly makes no sense to me. It's almost as if he's asking for the sack.
Perhaps that's it: maybe he wants to be sacked 🤷♂️.
I just look at him and I don't recognize what he's trying to do and the worrying thing is, I don't think he knows what he's doing either.
Nothing in the last two games has worked and the fact that he keeps persisting with these issues drives us all mad.
You know you have a problem when you start to agree with what some of the ex-players and pundits who appear to be ten Hag out are saying.
I find myself in that situation.
This two-week break is going to be a long one. Southampton away next and lose that...
Background Image: Man Utd lose 3-0 to Liverpool at Old Trafford | Creator: Michael Regan | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2024 Getty Images via Man Utd News