Michael Owen was left shocked that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag didn’t pit his in-form forward, Marcus Rashford, up against Trent Alexander-Arnold during their 7-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.
Since the World Cup, Rashford has been the form player in Europe, including helping Manchester United win the League Cup at Wembley, with most of his work coming from the left channel.
But, against Liverpool, rather than have Manchester United’s most lethal goal threat face off against Alexander-Arnold, 24, who has always been questioned from a defensive aspect, his England teammate played down the middle.
It was a pretty even first half between the two English giants, with the home side going into the break with a 1-0 lead and Rashford having a brilliant chance to get on the scoresheet, but thereafter, all hell broke loose.
There is going to be a serious inquest into that defeat, but ten Hag’s call involving how he played Rashford didn’t sit well with Owen, as he told Premier League Productions (05/03/23 at 6:50 pm).
“One question I would have is, which everyone thinks ‘wow this could be the match-winning area’,” said Owen.
“Marcus Rashford against Trent Alexander-Arnold was on everyone’s lips going into this game. What does he (ten Hag) do? He puts their best player, in Rashford, or their most attacking threat, on to probably Liverpool’s best couple of players themselves (Konate and Van Dijk).
“Virgil van Dijk is one of the fastest, strongest and best players in the world. He already has had loads of success on the left-hand side against Trent Alexander-Arnold, so that was a surprise.
“He’s used to having chances off the left, making a run on a certain angle towards goal. Anybody can miss chances. But he is playing down the middle and he has had one chance. He has been lethal all season and hardly missed an opportunity – if I was a Manchester United fan thinking ‘this is an area we could hurt Liverpool’ and they go and play him against two really strong, quick and good players. I am not sure about that. In fact, I disagreed with that.”
MANCHESTER UNITED ARE TORN APART
Whichever way you look at it, this is a game that Manchester United fans will always be reminded about and one that could mentally scar their players.
There has been a real positive feel around Old Trafford in recent months, but this is a brutal knockdown by their old rivals.
Would it have made much of a difference if Rashford did play on the left? Well, given that it was 1-0 going into the break, then that argument could be made, in that sense.
But seven goals were still conceded and that’s embarrassing of the highest order and shouldn’t happen, regardless of where Rashford plays.
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