Manchester United were denied all three points against Liverpool after Mo Salah’s penalty but came in for some brutal criticism from Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville at Old Trafford

Jamie Carragher was left unconvinced by Manchester United’s performance – but believes it should be easy to fix the Red Devils’ issues.

United earned a draw against Liverpool on Sunday, with only Mo Salah’s late penalty preventing them from earning three points at Old Trafford. However, the hosts failed to produce an attempt on goal in the opening half while allowing their opponents to produce 15 shots.

Heading into the game, United had conceded more than 500 shots in the Premier League for the first time, with 200 coming in 10 games in 2024. Despite the result, the open nature of Erik ten Hag’s side was once again on display.

Former Liverpool defender Carragher was left scratching his head at United’s efforts. While accepting he’s never taken charge of a team, he believes it should be a simple solution to fix the 13-times Premier League champions’ problem.

 

“I’ve never been a manager, but it is easy to stop,” he said said on the Gary Neville Podcast . “The basic principles of being tough to play against, I don’t think they are hard to coach.

“We’ve both been on the training pitch, keeping the team compact, narrow, back four, where’s our starting position. Are we high? Are we deep? Are we together?

“It’s basic. It’s the basics of football.

Erik ten Hag gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool ( 
Image:
PAUL ELLIS/AFP)
“It’s not about a fluid Pep Guardiola football or Jurgen Klopp football, it’s just about being difficult to beat. It’s something you would normally associate with a team coming up into the division.

“That’s the really strange thing for Manchester United going forward. Everyone will be delighted leaving the game today because it was a great game and they help knock Liverpool off the top of the league.

“But the bigger picture, of how the game started and how it finished, still leaves you scratching your head.”

Gary Neville was similarly blunt in his assessment. The Salford City owner suggested his former side could only be relying on luck, such was their inability to do the easy things.

“Manchester United’s style of play is mad,” he said. “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 team-mates 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.