After a cagey 35 minutes of action at Old Trafford yesterday, Liverpool cruised their way to a 3-0 win over Manchester United as soon as the deadlock was broken.
Such a one-sided performance has catapulted Erik ten Hag back into the firing line once again, after a season in which he led the Red Devils to their worst-ever Premier League finish on record.
Now that he’s been backed more than adequately with five shiny new signings worth a combined £205 million, it remains to be seen how much credit he has left in the bank as United enter the international break on the back of two straight defeats.
Much will be made of Casemiro’s woeful first-half showing, and rightly so, but you’d struggle to pinpoint where the side looked even slightly put-together across the pitch. It’s evident that whatever they’re being told in the dressing room just isn’t working.
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Virgil van Dijk and his defensive contingent were quick to pick up on such frailties, too. He admitted post-match that he was well aware of how Ten Hag would set his squad up heading into the match, and when the game began exactly as Liverpool expected, they were able to bide their time before asserting their dominance.
Van Dijk’s telling post-match reaction
“We know they like to do this passing in behind, but we nullified it quickly,” the Anfield skipper revealed. “Our game plan worked. We kept patient.”
He also disclosed that with him being well-acquainted with compatriot Joshua Zirkzee, he knew the forward wouldn’t be playing as an out-and-out No.9 from the get-go.
“Joshua Zirkzee now plays as a striker for them, but I know he likes to drop in and receive the ball to his feet,” he added.
