Manchester United found themselves behind against Liverpool at the break in the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford
ITV Sport pundits Roy Keane, Graeme Souness and Ian Wright did not mince their words about Manchester United during the half-time break against Liverpool.
United came into the game with this being seen as their last realistic chance of winning silverware this campaign, and they started brightly. Scott McTominay opened the scoring for the hosts with a close-range effort.
However, the hosts took their foot off the gas and were pegged back just before stoppage time thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s fierce strike. Things went from bad to worse just before the interval, as sloppy passing in defence was punished by Mohamed Salah, who scored after Darwin Nunez’s strike was parried.
However, United showed enormous character to twice come from behind to claim a 4-3 victory after extra-time. But in the ITV studio during the break, Keane, Souness and Wright were appalled by the performances of certain United players during the first-half, and MEN Sport rounded up what was said below.
Roy Keane
“It’s the biggest worry for United throughout this season they are so open, particularly in midfield,” Keane began. “They need someone to sit, it’s called game management.
“We just felt Liverpool are coming and getting stronger. United have got to get somebody to sit in there and protect the back four.
“Game management to give up the chances – you’ve got players back here and this is slightly different but the intensity from the attacking players – [Marcus] Rashford – my God – you are talking about an FA Cup quarter-final.
“Get to people, far too easy for Liverpool. Players taking touches, just get out to him.
“The build-up to that, not a lot of aggression. What happens is a lot of teams make mistakes and think we have the numbers back but it’s no good having the numbers back if you are not aggressive. You have got to be aggressive in this game.
“For United to play out from the back in injury time, it’s criminal.”
Graeme Souness
“When I watch United, people are not taking responsibility when you see the second goal and the way [Jarell] Quansah dances past people,” Souness continued. “If you are the first one to him, you are saying you are not going past me.
“But it’s like they give up on it, oh someone else will do my job. They do not do the basics and do not play with any real intensity when it comes to the defending part of the game United. And that is why they are so easy to play against.
“Liverpool have just cut through them at will in the last half-an-hour of that game.”
Ian Wright
Focusing on the second goal, the former Arsenal striker added: “I said it at the start, are United going to be able to beat that press when they try to play out like this [before Liverpool’s second]. If you look at Liverpool, they are right amongst them and I am thinking Onana, just get it up the pitch at this stage of the game and Fernandes has gone down far too easy and this is when they are in trouble.
“Liverpool get fortunate with how it comes back to Salah but it is poor from United.”
