Ralf Rangnick found the defeat for Manchester United to Liverpool “humiliating” and believes they must follow their rivals’ lead to close a six-year gap.
Manchester United were well beaten when Liverpool put four past them without reply on Tuesday night. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah scored in the first half, before Sadio Mane and Salah got the goals after the break.
Chances were few and far between for Manchester United, who didn’t record a single shot in the first half. Even though there were some signs of settling after the break, Liverpool swung the game away from them again.
It will only heighten the questions being asked around Old Trafford. Rangnick’s men are now three points off the top four, but have played more games than all the sides above them.
They could be looking over their shoulders too, at West Ham in seventh and maybe even Wolves in eighth. Rangnick has some problems to fix if United are to avoid a complete disaster.
There were many things they could have done differently on the night against Liverpool. That said, Rangnick felt they were too far off regardless.
He told Match of the Day: “I don’t think a different formation at the start would have changed anything. The first goal we conceded, it was not part of the game plan to be that high up and concede a counter-attack after five minutes. That changed the game.
“The first half, we were just not good enough. We did not win any first ball or second balls. We were second best in all relevant areas.
“Second half we changed a centre-back with Jadon Sancho. The first 25 minutes we were better and had pressure on the ball at times. Had two or three moments, but the third goal killed the game off.
“For the third goal it came from a ball we should not play. A pressing invitation – 12 yards into Anthony Elanga, who is a player for behind their back line. It is inviting them for those moments and six seconds later the ball was in our net.”
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