Manchester United legend Gary Neville has criticized Erik ten Hag’s side’s performance in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon (April 7). The former defender claimed United could not do the basics right against the Reds and said that such mishaps were not common even at “schoolboy level.”
Manchester United Were Fortunate To Avoid Defeat Against Liverpool
Not many expected Manchester United to take the fight to Liverpool on Sunday, but even the most pessimistic fan would have anticipated such a one-sided affair. Luis Diaz gave Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead halfway through the first half, and it could have been a lot worse for the hosts had the visitors taken most of their chances. The Merseysiders clocked 15 shots in the first half without allowing a single one.
The game, however, turned on its head in the second 45, thanks to wonder goals from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. Liverpool restored parity toward the end, courtesy of Mohamed Salah’s penalty, but it was not the result the Premier League aspirants were aiming for.
Gary Neville Claims Manchester United Made ‘Mad’ Errors Against Liverpool
Although the game ended all square, Liverpool were considerably better than their arch-nemesis in creating chances and maintaining possession [xG: 3.67 vs 0.70]. On his podcast, Neville highlighted United’s shortcomings against the Merseysiders and said it was a “mad” performance by the hosts.
He said (via Sky Sports):
“Manchester United’s style of play is mad. Some of the things you see out there, you wouldn’t see at schoolboy level. Their structure defensively goes from being in shape and being okay to all of a sudden emptying the whole midfield. Players press on their own without the rest of their teammates going with them.
“You have players in front of the ball at throw-ins and the ball gets thrown in behind towards the back four. All of the things that you see as, if you like, the easiest things in football to do, Manchester United do really badly. They are so easy to play against. Liverpool had 15 shots in that first half.”
He concluded by adding:
“You can’t really coach that type of performance. You are just relying on individual moments, luck, goalkeepers making saves and defenders making blocks. That’s what we’ve seen from them against Liverpool. I don’t think it is any lack of endeavor. There is no lack of desire in the team. There’s just no sense to their actual performance levels.”
Following Sunday’s draw, Manchester United fell further behind in the top-four race. They are currently sitting in sixth place, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool, too, took a hit, dropping two points and ceding the top spot to Arsenal.
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