A drubbing at Anfield leaves Manchester United needing to overturn a two-goal deficit in next week’s return leg at Old Trafford.
Manchester United lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday. Were it not for David De Gea, the scoreline could have been twice as damaging.
If United are to somehow make it through to the quarter-finals of the competition, the Spaniard’s efforts in the first leg, including one excellent save to prevent Philippe Coutinho scoring from inside the six-yard box, will be a large part of the reason why.
In fact, the game as a whole was symbolic of United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era: De Gea was magnificent but everyone around him, especially the manager, was a complete shambles.
The pattern of the game was set inside the first 30 seconds. United launched a long ball to Marouane Fellaini, who knocked the ball down to Memphis, who delivered a cross into the penalty area. It was clear that the tactic – the strategy – was to play direct football with the Belgian effectively playing as a target man.
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In the 2-1 win in the Premier League at Anfield in March 2015, that game plan worked. On Thursday, it went horribly wrong.
Liverpool started brightly and, without much resistance, began to peg United back. They were rewarded for their pressure when a smart ball from Roberto Firmino to Nathaniel Clyne drew a (questionable) foul from Memphis, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Daniel Sturridge stepped up, hesitated and managed to squeeze the ball inside the post, although De Gea got fingertips on the ball. From that moment, it seemed to be a question of how many Liverpool would score.
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Coutinho then ghosted in at the back post and, despite a scuffed effort, saw his shot clawed back out of the goal by De Gea. Shortly after, the Spaniard made a point-blank stop from a free header. It was one-way stuff, and United did well to make it to the interval one goal down.
At the break, manager Louis van Gaal reverted from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a 3-5-2 system. Michael Carrick replaced Marcus Rashford, and United began the second half much brighter.
Possession was better, passing was crisper, and yet there was an inescapable feeling that the improvements were only so noticeable because the first half was so atrocious. In context, regardless of the mini-recovery, United were still playing dreadful football.
With no chances created, the game then swung back in Liverpool’s favour.
De Gea was forced to tip Coutinho’s swerving shot over the crossbar and punch Clyne’s rasping effort away from goal, while Jordan Henderson fluffed his lines with a shot from inside the box.
The second, inevitable goal came when Carrick’s abysmal clearance fell to Adam Lallana inside the penalty area. Lallana, who enjoyed a fine game, cleverly fed the ball to Firmino, who lifted the ball beyond De Gea into the net and sealed the win for Liverpool.
In the closing stages, Fellaini appeared to simultaneously kick and elbow Emre Can. It will come as no surprise if the Belgian is banned for the return leg next week.
At any rate, it’s difficult to see how United, following such a dire performance, can claw their way back into the tie. At no point did United look like winning – or scoring – against Liverpool.
It will take a monumental swing in the next week for United to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League, which remains the only real hope of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
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Ultimately, in a game where De Gea was once again the only player to come away with any credit, United looked completely mediocre in a display that was as bad as any other in the last three seasons.