Erik ten Hag said it in his own words: Manchester United‘s 7-0 humiliation against Liverpool at Anfield was a “reality check.” But as the dust settles on a defeat that equals United’s biggest-ever losing margin, the result might just work in Ten Hag’s favour.
There is plenty of work still to be done at Old Trafford to turn United into a challengers for the biggest trophies again — the Premier League and Champions League — and Sunday’s brutal dismantling against Jurgen Klopp’s side will enable Ten Hag to point to the cracks that have been papered over during his team’s resurgence over his brief time as manager at the club.
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United were so bad last season, when they recorded their worst-ever Premier League campaign by finishing sixth with 58 points, that the uplift this time around has perhaps lulled many supporters and some at the club into a false sense of progress. United have made great strides under Ten Hag, but Liverpool exposed the reality that there are still gaping holes to be filled at Old Trafford.
Few football clubs are exposed to such highs and lows as Manchester United. A week ago, the Carabao Cup final success against Newcastle United at Wembley (stream a replay on ESPN+ in the U.S.) sparked barely credible talk of a United quadruple this season. Yet, seven days later, they experienced a defeat even worse than the nadir of last season, when Liverpool’s two Premier League wins against their old rivals amounted to a 9-0 aggregate scoreline.
United were never likely to surge from third place to top spot in the Premier League this term, despite the morale boost of ending a six-year trophy drought, although they might yet add the FA Cup and Europa League to the Carabao Cup. But just as the predictions of four trophies in a season were over the top, it would be equally ridiculous to suggest that United manager Ten Hag must rip it up and start again after the Anfield defeat — a defeat which saw United concede six goals in the second half.
While losing at Liverpool, United’s desperate need for a proven centre-forward was highlighted by Ten Hag’s tactical mistake which saw Marcus Rashford playing as a No. 9. But the lack of alternatives — a consequence of United’s flawed recruitment in recent years — left Ten Hag having to compromise his team by playing Rashford through the middle, Bruno Fernandes wide left and Wout Weghorst in the No. 10 position.
Rashford has been outstanding for United since the World Cup, largely when he has played in his favoured role on the left, and he rarely shines quite so brightly when he is asked to operate through the middle. But until United sign a striker such as Tottenham Hotspur‘s Harry Kane or Napoli‘s Victor Osimhen — with sources telling ESPN that both players are being monitored ahead of a possible summer move — Ten Hag will have to use square pegs in round holes up front because he has nobody capable of operating as a centre-forward on a consistent basis.
Weghorst is too slow and immobile to be the solution (one goal in 14 games for United is testament to his shortcomings) and Anthony Martial‘s fitness continues to be a recurring problem. Rashford’s recent spree of 17 goals in 21 games has masked United’s lack of goal threat, but his failure to trouble Liverpool was a warning sign that Ten Hag needs to find somebody to share the burden.
There are also question marks over the ability of Fernandes and Antony to make a difference for United in the biggest games and those doubts only grew with their respective performances against Liverpool. Ten Hag pushed United hard to sign Antony from Ajax in the summer, so he will persevere with the Brazil international, but his return of just three goals and no assists so far in the Premier League should be a concern. The £86 million winger is noticeably one-footed, lacks pace and has a predictable style which sees him cut inside at every opportunity, so Ten Hag needs to find a way to make him much more effective. The same applies to Fernandes. With five goals and six assists in the league this season, the midfielder’s numbers are respectable enough, but he rarely makes a decisive contribution against the top teams. At Anfield, his performance — while out of position — did little to counter the argument that he goes missing against superior opponents.
Ten Hag also has a problem at right-back and it is one that he has done well to manage this season. Neither Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka are capable of taking United to the next level, but both players have improved thanks to the work done by Ten Hag and his coaches on the training ground. Anfield exposed Dalot’s limitations against elite teams. The Portugal international is honest and committed, but he lacks the pace and reading of the game that is required at the top level. Wan-Bissaka, meanwhile, has repeatedly displayed a lack of defensive focus and his ability in possession offers United nothing from an attacking perspective.
When United have been winning, the issues that Ten Hag must address have largely been glossed over. But it is against the top teams, in the most difficult circumstances, that the truth about a team and its players emerges. United have progressed and Ten Hag has put the team back on track, but Sunday added to the body of evidence that major investment in the squad is still required.
Despite the progress, United have yet to win away from home against a team in the top six. They lost at Manchester City, lost at Arsenal and lost at Liverpool. They conceded 17 goals in those three defeats and each of them were reality checks.
So while it may be tempting for the United hierarchy to point to the positives as justification for minor tweaks in the summer, Ten Hag has to use the Liverpool defeat as further compelling evidence of the work that is still to be done.