Jamie Carragher tears into one Man United star after Tottenham as Erik ten Hag approach ridiculed

Jamie Carragher spoke about Manchester United player Matthijs de Ligt.
-Credit: (Image: Sky Sports)


Jamie Carragher has heavily criticised Matthijs de Ligt after his role in Manchester United's porous defence against Tottenham on Sunday. The defender was part of Erik ten Hag's disjointed backline as they were played through with ease throughout the game.

Having been caught out of position for Brennan Johnson's early opener, which came from a marauding Micky van de Ven run through the middle of the pitch, Carragher couldn't believe De Ligt's methods for dealing with the Spurs attack. Former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter was more appreciative of the quality that went into building the opportunity.

"From a Tottenham perspective I think it's a wonderful goal, the way he [Van de Ven] attacks the space here is incredible," he said on Monday Night Football. Carragher couldn't work out De Ligt's logic to leaving room on his right for Van de Ven to stroll into though.

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"Yeah, I noticed this a little bit with De Ligt and a lot of centre-backs," he started. "I don't understand why they don't defend the space and they come over. I see this so much.

"The striker [Dominic Solanke] just behind him has got nothing to do with him. That is [Lisandro] Martinez's job, De Ligt goes over, Martinez comes across. Now, again, you actually look at it and he's looking over his shoulders there. Forget that! Forget it!

"This is a brilliant run, it's amazing. Van de Ven runs because he sees the space. And listen, the full-back [Diogo Dalot] gets caught out at the back post, you can see him with his hand up again."

Unfortunately for De Ligt and Ten Hag, this was far from the only occasion their opponents were able to carve through. Picking out a second clip that shows Tottenham working a chance in the opening 45 minutes, Carragher continued: "Again, this sums Man United up over the last two or three years; Pressing and always being late.

"They're locked in here so you've got the front three of Tottenham locking the back four in. There's two men versus one player there. De Ligt should be already over here and Mazraoui should be in about this position here.

"We run it on and just look at De Ligt come flying across, come flying into a challenge. Very similar to the challenge he puts in against Luis Diaz for Liverpool because he comes from a starting position and then listen, they don't score, they get another one off the post."

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A let off on that occasion, but the threat continued and the pattern emerged. "I can talk about midfield, Manchester United's midfield, running through the back four, I've been saying that for the last, what, 18 months, that hasn't changed," Carragher said. "But, when they [Tottenham] win the ball there, if I tell you that this player [Timo Werner] within five seconds is going to be running through on the goal, that tells you the problems Manchester United had.

"The rest defence is awful. Always has been, when they're high up the pitch and they lose possession, but where's De Ligt? [The] right-back [Noussair Mazraoui] has come up here, look where De Ligt is. You've got to get over.

"Every situation in the first half, two massive chances and the goal, in De Ligt - a player they have brought in for huge money - he's completely out of position all of the time so he has to go flying into challenges and then leaving himself in a situation where you can get a yellow card, you can get a red card."

It was only two weeks ago, in a 3-0 over Southampton, that De Ligt scored his first goal for United having come into a defence struggling with injuries, form, and confidence. Left with gaping holes to cover, the Dutchman now has more questions to answer after arriving as yet another former player from Ten Hag's past.