Gary Neville: Manchester United owners may question approach after ‘sobering day’

Erik ten Hag’s side were thrashed at home by their rivals

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag walks off dejected (PA Wire)

Gary Neville believes Manchester United’s hierarchy may have to question whether they are on the right path after the chastening 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

The visitors punished an error-strewn display from United, with two goals from Luis Diaz and a Mohamed Salah strike securing a comfortable victory for Arne Slot’s side at Old Trafford.

Sky Sports pundit Neville said the manner of United’s loss has given the club’s hierarchy plenty of questions to answer in the coming months.

Neville said on Sky Sports: “Manchester United made terrible errors and Liverpool pounced on them Jurgen Klopp style, winning the ball high up the pitch and then devastating and precise.

“Mo Salah in particular with those two passes in the first half and the finishes were fantastic and the next one was always going to be important in the second half and United didn’t get it and Liverpool did.

Manchester United’s leadership team watched their side’s heavy home defeat (PA Wire)

“They fully deserved their victory today. It was a sobering day for Erik ten Hag and a sobering day for United’s players and I think the new ownership, sat in the stand en-masse, thinking: ‘Are we on the right path here?’

“That’s the question they will have to ask in the next few months.”

Keane was also highly critical of United’s performance, describing it as “really shocking”.

“Liverpool were very good,” Keane told Sky Sports. “Very efficient going forward, looked stronger, fitter. United, you can try dressing it up a little bit, but they were shocking, really shocking.

“Every time Liverpool went forward they looked like they were going to score. Certainly a couple of mistakes from an experienced player [Casemiro], another mistake just after half-time and 3-0. Not good.

“There’s a lot said about plans for the stadium blah, blah, blah, but today, a big game against Liverpool – it’s just really disappointing that United didn’t turn up.

Manchester United were comfortably beaten (Getty Images)

“I’m always surprised when the game’s over after 50 or 60 minutes when you’re playing for Man United.”

Liverpool boss Slot was delighted with his side’s performance, but warned tougher tests await his team when the fixture list includes Champions League matches.

Slot told Sky Sports: “It’s a good win but after the players come back from the international break so many games have to be played in a short time. It’s a good start.

“I don’t think the fans will listen to me if I tell them differently. It’s normal if you win a game like this, you have won nine points, win a big game at Old Trafford, that the fans will be so excited.

“But there’s still a lot to prove, starting, if we play a double programme, with the Champions League and three days later a league game.

“Then we have to be ready and two years ago was the last time Liverpool played Champions League and we all know what the end result was.

“So for us, a lot to prove if we play Champions League and at the weekends.”

United boss Ten Hag said all three of Liverpool’s goals came from individual errors and that Casemiro would “bounce back” after being substituted at half-time.

Ten Hag told Sky Sports: “That is what the team needed. You know when you are 2-0 down against Liverpool, you have to take more risks and be more open.

Casemiro struggled to keep the ball in a poor display (Getty Images)

”He knows the game. He will go on. He’s a great player. He’s shown so often he’s a great character. We’ve seen great moments from him. He will bounce back.”

PA