Manchester United’s 2022/23 season might have turned too long for their liking. Erik ten Hag’s team lost a visit to West Ham United on Sunday evening and suddenly have to worry whether the Champions League ticket is safe. Liverpool are now breathing down The Red Devils.
Strong criticism of Man Utd: “They are terrible in away games”
United is on 63 points. Liverpool has one less, but also played one game more. Brighton is closer in terms of loss points: eight points behind with two games less than Ten Hag’s team. United’s rest program is favourable: at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chelsea and Fulham and still visiting AFC Bournemouth. That’s why the analysts think it will still work out.
“Three of the last four games will be at home. They are lucky because their form in away games is terrible. They are not in form, but the supporters at Old Trafford can play their part. But, I keep saying it, the players have to set the tone. They have not been good enough in recent weeks, they have to play games and they have to start right now. Liverpool are chasing them and I don’t think they’re dropping any points, but I’d be surprised if United gave this away,” Rio Ferdinand told BT Sports.
He received support from Peter Crouch: “I also think Liverpool will win their games. A few months ago you thought they were out of the race, but they fought back. Still, I think United will make it. I also watch Brighton, they still have a tough program. I think that’s just asking too much. United is just going to make it.”
Player ratings
The difference was made in London on Sunday by a gigantic blunder by David de Gea, who was given the lowest possible score in the Manchester Evening News: a 1. Furthermore, the passes were scarce: Luke Shaw, Antony, Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst and substitute Anthony Martial got off with a meagre six.
The club watcher for the local newspaper sees problems ‘on both sides of the field’. “This was another unforgivable mistake in a season that was already full of them. De Gea’s decline is so rapid that it resembles his game four years ago. The selection is also having a hard time,” the medium mentioned.
They added, “A demanding schedule and a lack of quality take its toll. Wherever Ten Hag looks, he sees players you would rather sell than draft. The extravagance of the attackers also reared its head again. Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, Rashford and Antony: they all missed the target from a promising position.”
