Jamie Carragher Continues to Troll Matthijs de Ligt After Manchester United’s Europa League Draw
Manchester United’s struggles in the Europa League continued on Thursday night, as they were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw away at Porto. While many will point to United’s defensive frailties, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has once again targeted their £56.7m signing Matthijs de Ligt.
United got off to a flyer, taking a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund. However, they proceeded to surrender the lead, falling behind after a goal from Pepe and a Samu Omorodion double.
De Ligt was arguably at fault for Pepe’s goal and was later substituted for Harry Maguire with around 10 minutes remaining in the match. Maguire would go on to rescue a point with an impressive header late into proceedings, but it won’t ease the pressure on under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.
Carragher, who has been vocal in his criticism of De Ligt since his arrival in England, took to social media once again to take aim at the Dutchman. Posting a clip from his analysis on Monday Night Football, Carragher said: "United’s rest defence is awful, it always has been behind the ball when they lose possession."
"Where’s De Ligt?" Carragher continued. "In every situation in that first half, two massive chances and the goal, De Ligt, a player they brought in for huge money, is completely out of position all the time. So he ends up having to go flying into challenges, and then you leave yourself in a situation where you can get yellow cards and red cards."
De Ligt’s performance was far from convincing, with the Dutchman looking unsure of himself and frequently caught out of position. United’s struggles in defense are a recurring theme this season, and De Ligt’s high-profile signing has failed to provide the solution.
United’s draw against Porto means they are now without a win in their last four matches. Things won’t get any easier when they travel to Aston Villa this weekend, a side that has just defeated Bayern Munich and will be brimming with confidence.
As United’s woes continue, fans will be left wondering when their side will start to show signs of improvement. One thing is for sure, De Ligt’s performances will continue to be under the microscope, and Carragher’s criticisms won’t be going away anytime soon.
Follow us on all social media platforms for more updates and opinions on the world of football!