Footballing expert blasts Erik ten Hag’s ‘criminal tactics’ in Manchester United’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is facing intense criticism following the team’s dismal 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

His tactics are being labelled as “criminal” by professionals within the football community.

This stinging rebuke comes from Andy Mitten, host of the Talk of the Devils podcast, who shared insights from a professional tactician that underscored the severity of United’s poor performance.

Mitten revealed a conversation with an unnamed professional tactician who specializes in football strategies at the highest level.

“I got a message yesterday from someone who does this professionally,” Mitten recounted on the podcast.

“They said, ‘Andy, what we do in our build-up is criminal. This is on [Erik] Ten Hag. The game plan is awful, and we’re not changing it.'”

The criticism didn’t stop there.

The expert described United’s performance as “naive,” particularly compared to Liverpool’s well-oiled 3-2-2 build-up strategy, which left Ten Hag’s side struggling to keep up.

Luis Diaz set the tone for Liverpool with two first-half goals, followed by Mohamed Salah’s clincher early in the second half, securing a dominant victory for the visitors.

This win not only propelled Liverpool to joint-top in the Premier League alongside Manchester City.

Despite a narrow win over Fulham in their opening match, United has failed to find consistency, struggling across all three of their league games so far this season.

This lacklustre start has fueled growing concerns about Ten Hag’s tactical acumen.

Carl Anka, one of the lead Man United journalists for The Athletic, spoke about Liverpool manager Arne Slot who explained how his side effectively neutralized United’s pressing game.

Slot highlighted a crucial weakness in United’s setup, noting that their full-backs often push high up the pitch, leaving space behind them. To exploit this, Liverpool kept their wingers high and wide, ready to capitalize on any opportunities.

Whether Ten Hag can adapt and steer United back on track remains to be seen, but one thing is clear, the patience of the fans is wearing thin.

Play for free to win the new United kit! We’re awarding a new prize every PL matchweek, courtesy of Goat Kits! To play, just (1) Join this week’s brand new PL Challenge league here with our league code puu1tk and enter your team. (2) Follow The Peoples Person on X and answer the tie breaker question. Full instructions and rules here.
You can also visit Goat Kits at goatkitstore.com and use discount code TPP30 to get 30% off your first purchase!