Copyright mirror
Matthijs de Ligt has lifted the lid on Manchester United's tactical plan against Liverpool as they deliberately targeted two players during their 2-1 victory over the Reds on Sunday. Harry Maguire netted a late winner for the Red Devils, inflicting a fourth consecutive loss on Arne Slot's side and first home defeat to their fierce rivals since 2016. United got off to a flying start with Bryan Mbeumo finding the back of the net early on, slipping the ball past Giorgi Mamardashvili after play continued despite a head injury to Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool managed to claw back an equaliser in the 78th minute thanks to Cody Gakpo , but their joy was short-lived as Maguire headed home a Bruno Fernandes ' cross just six minutes later, piling more misery on the Reds. Despite creating numerous opportunities, Liverpool were left ruing missed chances, with Gakpo hitting the woodwork thrice. The Dutchman and Mohamed Salah also both squandered golden opportunities, while Alexander Isak was thwarted by Senne Lammens in a one-on-one situation. However, it was their defensive frailties that proved costly once again, as they conceded twice for the seventh time in just 12 matches across all competitions this season, reports the Liverpool Echo . Summer recruit Milos Kerkez had a tough time at left-back, having to deal with the threat of Amad Diallo, as well as both Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha at different points in the match. De Ligt confessed that United had intentionally exploited the Hungarian, along with right-back Conor Bradley, identifying Liverpool's full-back positions as a 'weakness'. "We knew that Liverpool had weaknesses, and that's their full-backs," he admitted to ViaPlay. "We were all really hyped, and the focus was very high. Today was a game that you really have to be concentrated in." Kerkez played the entire 90 minutes at left-back against United, whilst Bradley was substituted after 62 minutes for Florian Wirtz, with the German's arrival forcing Dominik Szoboszlai to shift to right-back. Jeremie Frimpong was subsequently brought on to replace Mohamed Salah as a right-winger, with United's decisive goal originating from Liverpool's right flank after their opening strike had come from being played through down the left side of the Reds' backline. Kerkez faced harsh scrutiny following the defeat as former Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp branded the left-back a 'nervous wreck'. "Kerkez is very nervous. He's like a nervous wreck out there," he said on Sky Sports . "I feel for him. It's almost a bit too much for him. "The game is happening a bit too fast and Diallo is causing him problems. With Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha they've gone for a different approach with a bit more pace." Meanwhile, ex-Reds defender Stephen Warnock also criticised Kerkez's display as he raised concerns about his partnership with Virgil van Dijk on the left side of Liverpool's defence. "Kerkez and Van Dijk's relationship on this left-hand side is not working," he commented on BBC Radio 5 Live. "There is a lack of communication and the ball is getting slipped down the side far too many times. "Again they are far too easy to get at. Far too vulnerable to the turnover of possession." Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher also expressed his confusion over the Reds' defensive issues on Kerkez's side. "Normally the right hand side of Liverpool's defence gets punished. But today it's the left hand side," he observed on Sky Sports. "Kerkez and Van Dijk have struggled. "The United system is causing Liverpool all sorts of problems. Kerkez doesn't look comfortable." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
