Matthijs de Ligt has revealed Manchester United made a conscious effort to target two Liverpool players in the Reds' 2-1 loss to their bitter rivals
Matthijs de Ligt of Manchester United celebrates with Bruno Fernandes & Diogo Dalot at the end of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield
Matthijs de Ligt admitted that Manchester United talked about two Liverpool stars and felt they were 'weaknesses'
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Matthijs de Ligt has revealed Manchester United deliberately targeted Liverpool's full-backs during the Reds’ 2-1 loss to the Red Devils on Sunday. Harry Maguire scored a late winner for Ruben Amorim’s men as Arne Slot’s side fell to a fourth successive loss and a first home defeat to their bitter rivals since 2016.
Bryan Mbeumo scored an early opener for United, slotting past Giorgi Mamardashvili after play was not stopped following a head injury to Alexis Mac Allister.
And while Cody Gakpo struck a deserved equaliser for Liverpool in the 78th minute, Maguire headed home a Bruno Fernandes’ cross only six minutes later to inflict further misery on the Reds.
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Liverpool did create a plethora of chances against United, with Gakpo hitting the woodwork three times, both the Dutchman and Mohamed Salah missing glaring chances, and Alexander Isak being denied by Senne Lammens when one-on-one.
But once again they were suspect defensively, as they conceded twice in a game for the seventh time from just 12 matches in all competitions so far this season.
Summer signing Milos Kerkez again struggled at left-back, as he found himself up against Amad Diallo, as well as both Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha at times.
And De Ligt has revealed that United deliberately targeted the Hungarian, as well as right-back Conor Bradley, as the Dutchman admitted the Red Devils considered Liverpool’s full-back positions a ‘weakness’.
"We knew that Liverpool had weaknesses, and that's their full-backs," he admitted to ViaPlay. "We were all really hyped, and the focus was very high. Today was a game that you really have to be concentrated in."
Kerkez completed the full 90 minutes at left-back against United, while Bradley was replaced after 62 minutes for Florian Wirtz, with the introduction of the German resulting in Dominik Szoboszlai moving to right-back.
Jeremie Frimpong was later introduced in place of Mohamed Salah as a right-winger, with United's winner coming from the Liverpool right-hand side after their opener had come from being played in down the left of the Reds' defence.
Kerkez came in for widespread criticism following the loss as former Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp labelled the left-back a ‘nervous wreck’.
"Kerkez is very nervous. He's like a nervous wreck out there,” he said on Sky Sports. “I feel for him. It's almost a bit too much for him.
“The game is happening a bit too fast and Diallo is causing him problems. With Mbeumo and [Matheus] Cunha they've gone for a different approach with a bit more pace."
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Meanwhile, former Reds defender Stephen Warnock would also take issue with Kerkez’s performance as he questioned his relationship with Virgil van Dijk on the left-hand side of the Liverpool defence.
"Kerkez and Van Dijk's relationship on this left-hand side is not working,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “There is a lack of communication and the ball is getting slipped down the side far too many times.
“Again they are far too easy to get at. Far too vulnerable to the turnover of possession."
And Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was also left bemused at the Reds’ struggles defensively down Kerkez’s flank.
“Normally the right hand side of Liverpool’s defence gets punished. But today it’s the left hand side,” he said on Sky Sports. “Kerkez and Van Dijk have struggled.
“The United system is causing Liverpool all sorts of problems. Kerkez doesn’t look comfortable.”