Man United shocks winless Liverpool with its first victory under Erik ten Hag - 5 talking points

 

Nine days after losing 4-0 at Brentford, Manchester United stunned the footballing world by dominating Liverpool and winning their first Premier League game of the year.

In front of their own supporters, the Red Devils excelled as Erik ten Hag's selection risk paid off with goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford. Although Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent, United outran and outthought their archrivals right from the start.

At Old Trafford, where they were going for their third consecutive victory, Liverpool struggled mightily as their defense was routinely breached. The tempo of United was too much for Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to handle, and after 16 minutes, Sancho's calm finish gave them the lead.

Rashford scored his second goal after being passed clean, but the Stretford End had to wait until a VAR review was complete before they could completely rejoice. Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool, who are battling with injuries, a chance to equalize and set up a tight finish, but they were unable to do so.

These were the key talking points from a memorable Old Trafford night.

The hosts received harsh criticism, but they responded well.

1 The reversal

United was expecting a response, and they undoubtedly delivered one. There was enough in this performance at the end of the first half, regardless of the final score, for the fans to connect with again. However, the hosts kept playing aggressively and pounded home their advantage. Given the assurance the hosts played with, it is difficult to see how this team could have lost 4-0 at Brentford.

It speaks a lot about how far effort and mastering the fundamentals will bring you. United got right to work in the first minute, shutting down their opponents and throwing in challenges while appearing every bit a team ready to challenge again. The team's players have long faced criticism for their attitudes more than their skill levels, but this showed they are tenacious. The current task is to consistently produce it.

2 Reds give up the opening goal

Game-opening goal was scored by Jadon Sancho.

With the losses to Fulham and Crystal Palace this season, along with Sancho's goal, Klopp's team has now lost by a single goal in seven straight league games. No longer a bothersome statistic, and undoubtedly something that requires attention. Liverpool was penalized at Manchester for their tardiness in getting going. Their downward trajectory toward a goal and inability to locate the solutions are undoubtedly concerning.

3 no Ronaldo, no Maguire, no issue

It only makes sense to fire your captain and top scorer from the previous campaign if you succeed, or at the very least perform well. After the defeat last weekend, in which neither player displayed great skill, the pair were passed over for the starting lineup. Then, at halftime, Ten Hag decided against starting Ronaldo and substituted Anthony Martial.

Maguire's performances have long been criticized, and Ten Hag may decide to keep with the Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane pairing going forward, particularly in contests against elite opposition. Ronaldo's absence might be significant, especially given his desire to go and the team's demonstration that life goes on without him by giving the Portuguese star the final five minutes.

Marcus Rashford increased the advantage of his squad.

4 Is Liverpool really having a problem ?

They were lackluster and had issues in the first two games, according to Klopp. Any misgivings about Liverpool may now be amplified further following this performance at Old Trafford, particularly in the first half. The Reds' recent success makes it seem virtually certain that they will stay at that level, but this presumption is being challenged.

With each game that goes by, it appears as though the decision to not add a midfield was a mistake, especially given how old their main players in that position still appear to be. Virgil van Dijk is far from his peak defensively, which will be a significant worry with injuries to players like Joel Matip as their high line is continually exposed.

Liverpool's defense was consistently breached.

5 The Glazer agenda keeps going

Simply put, United supporters want them gone. As more rallies were conducted in recent weeks, anger and fury toward the American owners grew. An estimated 10,000 fans participated in a demonstration that marched towards Old Trafford.

Casemiro, a Brazilian who cost over £60 million, was introduced to the crowd prior to kickoff, but even though money has continued to be spent, the owners' management of the club has not changed. While the three points on Monday may be the talk of the town, winning under Sir Alex Ferguson generally meant that supporters were understanding of the owners. However, the desire to kick the Americans out will not abate any time soon.