Manchester United

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag got involved in a spiky exchange with a journalist during his post-match media conference after the home defeat by Liverpool.

The crux of the issue was that the journalist felt many of the failings that have been evident over the past two seasons - counter-attacks when his side are outnumbered, the amount of chances they give away - are down to his coaching rather than the personnel. Ten Hag challenged the observation.

It was a similar question I put to the Dutchman after the late defeat at Brighton last week.

He rejected it then as well.

Yet the evidence is mounting. And whether he agrees or not, if United keep conceding the kind of cheap goals they were guilty of at Brighton and again against Liverpool, they will lose plenty of matches. And he will be in trouble.

Ten Hag says he is not Harry Potter. That is fine. But he needs to be a man with a plan.

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Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker says he "does not see any real progression" in this Manchester United squad.

New owners Ineos have backed Erik ten Hag in this window, with six of those new signings starting against Liverpool on Sunday, but have three points from three games.

"What is this thirst for signing players?" Reo-Coker asked on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily Podcast. "Liverpool haven’t signed anyone and Arne Slot’s gone in and they look like a well-coached team compared to Manchester United.

"United, for me, never really looked like scoring in this game and Liverpool played through them with ease. But it is typical Erik ten Hag when you question him on the mistakes.

"Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo do not look athletic enough in that midfield, so any team they come up against that have players to drive with the ball will destroy them.

"Joshua Zirkzee is not a number nine. He’s not going to be a prolific scorer in the Premier League, and he wasn’t a prolific scorer in Serie A. He’s more of a creator than an actual goalscorer, so playing him and Bruno Ferndandes makes no sense.

"I just don’t see that working. And it leads to the questions of 'what do you see in this Man Utd side?' I do not see anything.

"There’s no positives from this game."

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• Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham

• Man Utd 0-3 Liverpool

Manchester United are looking to sign Fulham's 27-year-old United States defender Antonee Robinson for £30m. (Express), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaking to Sky Sports: "We made mistakes and they were very clinical in finishing. They did very well."

On whether Liverpool's forwards were allowed to run at his defence: "I don't think so. If I see all the chances we conceded, I don't think that's what happened. We made mistakes. It was all individual errors. Maybe the last one you can debate where our double-six was. Liverpool did brilliant but the goals conceded expectations were not that high.

"It's clear Liverpool deserved the win. We have to be humble, take this and improve our game."

On Casemiro being taken off: "It is what the team needed. You know when you are 2-0 down against Liverpool you have to take more risks, it will be open. When you are losing you have to take more risks. I have to give compliments to the team. You have to keep fighting and sticking together."

Is he still able to play at the highest level? "He improved and has shown so often that he is a great character. We all have seen great moments from him and him be decisive in midfield. He will show that again and will bounce back."

Feel like the same as last season? "I don't think you are right. You can see the XG we didn't concede as many goals. I don't think we are in the same pattern. It was sometimes open and we took risks. But I don't want to talk about this after a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool. Well done Liverpool. We have to be humble and take it.

"There are many games to play and I know where we will be at the end of the season. We will go for trophies. That will stand."

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Manchester United have lost three of their last five Premier League home games against Liverpool (W1 D1), as many defeats as in their previous 18 Old Trafford meetings (W12 D3).

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• Chelsea v Crystal Palace

• Man Utd v Liverpool

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week three, he takes on MOBO Award-winning drum & bass legend and producer Adam F, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Manchester United got the better of Liverpool on a couple of occasions last year. They won in the FA Cup and you're sort of scratching your head about how they won that particualar one.

Liverpool under Arne Slot are not so sort of heavy metal.

Whatever I predict about Manchester United I get them wrong, I'm just resigned to the fact I cannot predict a Manchester United result.

I'm going to say Liverpool to beat them.

Adam F's prediction: 1-2

We drew 2-2 here in April last season, on a day when everything went wrong for us but I think we will get the job done this time.

Read the full predictions and have your say

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Former Premier League midfielder Kevin Nolan speaking about Marcus Rashford on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I think there's a weight on his shoulders. Every time he does something wrong, every time he doesn't get that shot on target, it's like it's the worst thing in the world.

"He's a top talent, but when you've had a year like you've had, and then this year you start off and there's a lot of people doubting you - it's hard. I think he's got to go back to the drawing board, the basics, and go from there because for me - he's not where he was two years ago."

Listen to more from Nolan on Premier League transfers here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Gett

For Manchester United, Jadon Sancho's move to Chelsea represents the best way out of a bad situation.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada have had to navigate their way out of major problem not of their making.

Sancho had already fallen out with Erik ten Hag when the trio of senior figures were installed. The uneasy truce negotiated to get Sancho back for pre-season training and onto the club’s tour of the United States was a temporary state that allowed him to retain his fitness, making it easier to find an alternative club to continue his career.

The reality is even before his very public bust-up with his manager, Sancho promised far more than he delivered for the Old Trafford club.

United are trying to create a new reality and the emergence of Alejandro Garnacho last season and Amad Diallo at the start of this one has given Ten Hag other options for the wide positions, even without including Marcus Rashford and Antony.

It is a pity for everyone the move did not work. Given all that has happened, this solution is not great. But it is the best way out.