Jamie Carragher has criticized Manchester United’s £43million summer signing Matthijs de Ligt for being “completely out of position the entire time” during his team’s humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
The Dutchman met with manager Erik ten Hag over the summer and his arrival from Bayern Munich was expected to bolster the Red Devils’ unreliable defence.
But he has had a difficult start at Old Trafford and is part of a back four that has conceded three goals in consecutive home games, having also struggled in the defeat to Liverpool.
On Sunday, the defensive line looked as fragile as ever as Spurs ran through United with ease and fired into goalkeeper Andre Onana’s goal.
AND sky sports Expert Carragher has launched a scathing attack on De Ligt for his tendency to stay in a central position and not move to the right side while defending.
Jamie Carragher has criticized Manchester United’s £43million summer signing Matthijs de Ligt for being “completely out of position all the time”.
The Dutchman has had a difficult start at Old Trafford and is part of a back four that has conceded three goals in consecutive home games.
Sky Sports pundit Carragher launched a scathing attack on De Ligt for his defensive weaknesses.
When analyzing the first goal, which came after a great run by Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven, he said: “I have noticed it a little with De Ligt and with many centre-backs.
‘I don’t understand why they don’t fill the space and come. I see this very often.
‘The striker behind him has nothing to do with him. That is the job of (Lisandro) Martínez. If De Ligt passes, Martínez crosses.
‘Now he’s looking over his shoulder again, forget it! Forget it, come here (on the right side).
“It was a brilliant race, it was incredible, but van de Ven runs because he sees the space.”
Brennan Johnson was on hand to tap the ball in after a low cross, giving the striker his fourth goal in four games, but he could have scored a second soon after when it hit the United post.
Carragher also noted that De Ligt had failed to fill the space in the build-up to this opportunity.
“Again I want to go to De Ligt,” he said. “Now they’re locked in here, so you’ve got Tottenham’s three forwards locking in the back four.
He met with manager Erik ten Hag over the summer and his arrival was expected to bolster the Red Devils’ unreliable defence.
But the defensive line looked as fragile as ever as Spurs ran through United with ease.
In the first, Brennan Johnson was on hand to finish the ball after a low cross, giving the striker his fourth goal in four games.
“There are two men against one player there. De Ligt should already be here (further to the right) and (Noussair) Mazraoui should be in this position here (also further to the right).
If we keep running it, just look at it. De Ligt, who comes flying in, launches himself into the challenge, very similar to a challenge he put up against, I think, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, because he’s coming from an early position.
Carragher then analyzed a third example in which De Ligt had not crossed his feet allowing Timo Werner to run towards goal, only to fire a shot straight at Andre Onana.
“Two huge chances and the goal, De Ligt, a player they brought in for a lot of money, is completely out of position all the time so he ends up having to fly out to the challenge and then you’re left in a situation where you can get yellow cards and red cards.
The victory marked the fourth successive victory in all competitions for Ange Postecoglou’s side and, if not for some heroics from Onana, Spurs could have made it six or seven.
The visiting team scored early in each half to set the tone, Johnson’s touch coming after three minutes, before Dejan Kulusevski stretched in the second.
In the middle, United’s Bruno Fernandes received a red card for a dangerous tackle that all but confirmed the outcome of the match at Old Trafford.
Dominic Solanke scored late to quell United’s spirited revival and signal for thousands of home fans to return home on a rainy Manchester night.
Not all experts have been so critical of De Ligt. Earlier this month, former Liverpool player Danny Murphy praised the centre-back after the team’s victory over Southampton and suggested his partnership with Martinez could provide the solution to the Red Devils’ defensive woes.
United’s Bruno Fernandes received a red card for a dangerous tackle during the first half
Danny Murphy praised United’s defensive pairing earlier this month, saying: “Martinez’s distribution was brilliant and De Ligt got a goal to lift him after a difficult international break.”
He said: “There are encouraging signs that they could be the solid centre-back pairing that Erik ten Hag craved.”
‘Both players looked aggressive in wanting to win the ball and use their physicality to impact the game.
‘The important thing for Ten Hag was to see them consolidate as an association. The position between them was good, rarely too far apart. Martínez’s distribution was brilliant and De Ligt got a goal to lift him after a difficult international break.