“In my whole professional career, I have never played against such aggressively dangerous attacker…He’s my own man of the match”: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk names ONE Man United’s attacker who surprised him during the game
Manchester United pulled out a performance not many were expecting as they earned an extremely creditable 2-2 draw at Anfield vs Liverpool.
Coming into the game with zero expectations, the sense of trepidation among Man Utd fans was high but if there’s one thing Man Utd do well, it’s subvert expectations, good or bad.
That’s exactly what they did against Liverpool, not just getting a point, but going toe-to-toe against arguably the best team in Europe and looking well-matched.
Ruben Amorim’s coaching looked like it paid dividends as United hunted in packs, each player extremely clear in their role, forcing mistakes from Liverpool.
After the game, Virgil van Dijk passingly gave the ultimate compliment to United.
Virgil Van Dijk on Liverpool mistake
Trent Alexander-Arnold would be the toast of the Man Utd dressing room after that performance but the mistakes from Liverpool started well before United had the ball.
United kept the ball well and took the sting out of the game multiple times with their possession but Liverpool shouldn’t even have lost it at times.
United’s rivals were unsettled by the aggressive pressing and front-foot defending, leading to many unforced and forced errors as they kept losing the ball.
It resulted in the Anfield crowd getting on their backs, something United took advantage of to grow into the game. Van Dijk rued Liverpool making the same mistake of losing the ball multiple times.
He said: “It could have been a lot worse if we are absolutely honest with ourselves. They had a big chance in the end that could have been a lot worse than where we are now.
“We found the 2-1 and then it is about trying to manage the game and keep the ball for longer than three and four passes. We lost the ball too easily at times and then we were more open than we should have been.”
He rejected suggestions that there was any complacency from Liverpool about facing a struggling United side, putting it all down to pointless ‘media talk’. Van Dijk ended with a loud proclamation that United ‘don’t get the respect they deserve’.
Man Utd have set the standard
Getting the praise from the opposition is all well and good but Man Utd have now set a standard for performances they need to match going forward.
They need to stop playing the occasion and start playing the game because they can’t be a team that forces mistakes from Liverpool but allows Bournemouth a stroll at Old Trafford.
The same thing perplexed the captain and coach after the game as well but it is only the players who can answer that question convincingly.
Unlike previous Man Utd managers, however, Amorim has struck a ruthless tone and urged his team to match this level, instead of waxing lyrical about a single result here.
The standard has been set but Liverpool have been left perplexed as to where it came from. United need to make it a weekly thing.
