After putting a better team on the field than his rival manager, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made more compelling excuses for Manchester United’s performance in a 4-0 loss than Red Devils boss Ralf Rangnick.
“They are not in a good moment and on top have a lot of injuries,” Klopp said after Liverpool completed a Premier League season sweep over its historic rivals, doing so by a 9-0 combined score line.
“When Paul Pogba left the pitch they played without their usual midfield. The pitch can become really big with a lot of offensive players on it. Center midfield with Nemanja Matic and Bruno Fernandes is not how you want to play. Nothing against the players, it is just not their natural game. We had 70-75% of the ball and they have to defend and that is not easy. I feel a bit for them.”
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And while Bruno Fernandes was upset with his team’s performance, he did not fault United for its effort
Man United’s Rangnick, however, was not in such a forgiving mood.
“It is embarrassing, it is disappointing, maybe even humiliating,” he said. “We have to accept they are six years ahead of us now. When Jurgen Klopp came they changed at the club and lifted not just the team but the club and city to a new level. That is what needs to happen with us in the next transfer windows.”
But don’t let those “six years” give you too much despair, United fans...
“Liverpool only needed 2-3 transfer windows until they had a competitive. If you know what you’re looking for, it doesn’t have to take 4-5 years. They finished eighth in the first season but you have to do it, in our club it has to start this summer.”
How would you fix United right away? It’s asking a lot considering how much offloading they’ll have to do at the start. Harry Maguire’s on the books through the 2024-25 season and decisions have to be made on Marcus Rashford, David De Gea, and Fred going into the final years of their contracts.
🗣 "Here in our club it has to start this summer."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 19, 2022
Ralf Rangnick says that Manchester United need to begin their rebuild this summer pic.twitter.com/NKHDBAHESn