Former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, has criticised Manchester United’s £42 million summer signing, Matthijs de Ligt, stating that he is consistently “out of position” during matches. Carragher’s comments came after United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday. In a segment on Monday Night Football, Carragher highlighted three incidents in the first half where De Ligt’s positioning allowed Spurs to counter-attack effectively.
Despite being a highly-rated Netherlands international and having experience with clubs like Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich, De Ligt has struggled to adapt at United. He has started only four Premier League games for the team and has been caught out in matches against top opponents like Liverpool and now Tottenham.
During the defeat to Spurs, United also saw captain Bruno Fernandes being sent off, further adding to the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag. Gary Neville described United’s performance as “disgusting” and highlighted the need for improvement across the team.
Carragher specifically pointed out De Ligt’s positioning alongside Lisandro Martinez in the defensive line as a source of problems for United. He suggested that De Ligt should have been closer to the right-back, Noussair Mazraoui, to provide better cover and prevent opposition attacks.
The criticism of De Ligt’s positional awareness adds to the overall structural issues facing Manchester United this season. Carragher emphasised the importance of defensive organisation and highlighted De Ligt’s tendency to be caught out of position, leading to unnecessary challenges and potential disciplinary issues.
Neville echoed Carragher’s sentiments, labelling United’s performance as their “worst possible showing” under ten Hag. The former Manchester United player called for accountability from both the players and the manager following such a disappointing display.
The scrutiny on De Ligt and Manchester United’s overall defensive struggles has intensified after the defeat to Tottenham. As the team looks to bounce back, there will be a growing demand for improvements in both individual performances and overall team cohesion.