Just three games into a new season and new era at Manchester United and those familiar alarm bells are once again ringing at Old Trafford.
Sunday saw Arne Slot visit OT as Liverpool manager for the first time, and the Dutchman proceeded to completely outwit his compatriot Erik ten Hag on the touchline, guiding his side to a comfortable 3-0 victory.
The INEOS reign is now in full swing at Manchester United, with Jim Ratcliffe's investment bringing Matthijs de Ligt, Nousseir Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee among others to the club this summer.
All three started the disastrous defeat to Liverpool, though none were as poor as United's ageing midfielder Casemiro. The Brazilian's errors directly led to both of Liverpool's first-half goals and have left many pondering if he has any kind of future left with United.
The third goal for Liverpool came in the second half - inevitably through Mo Salah, who has scored more goals as an away player at Old Trafford than any other in Premier League history.
Mo Salah LOVES scoring against Manchester United 🏹 pic.twitter.com/GGX3tg4hAY
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 1, 2024
By that stage, Casemiro had been hooked for youngster Toby Collyer, and youngster Kobbie Mainoo was dispossessed by Alexis Mac Allister for the third Liverpool goal.
For Roy Keane, however, the structural problems exposed by the goal were far more concerning than Mainoo's error. The Irishman would rip into United's defensive setup in a heated debate with Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
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Roy Keane Manchester United v Liverpool
All three of Liverpool's goals came directly from Slot's side breaking quickly after dispossessing Manchester United's midfield duo.
However, Roy Keane was adamant that Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo were not solely to blame. The ex-United captain said that the set up, which pushed both United full-backs high in possession, was set up to fail whenever Liverpool countered, a point proven by each of their three goals.
The discussion in question begins at 8:50 in the above video.
The Corkman was not having Gary Neville's protestations that similar issues had existed during their playing days, with Keane ripping into United's shape and defensive setup.
Gary Neville: This isn't high pressing or brilliant defensive work [from Liverpool], Manchester United in possession play in those deep areas are absolutely terrible.
Roy Keane: It's when they lose it, you've got the full backs, the shape's all off.
Neville: They're individual errors, they're in terrible areas. When we played at United, me and Denis Irwin would go forward and leave our two centre-backs with Roy Keane and Paul Scholes. If they gave the ball away, we'd be in a bit of trouble - but we didn't do it that often.
Keane: You wouldn't be that high Gary from that position, not the two of ye. At this level, they [Casemiro and Mainoo] expect to do better. But it still shouldn't be as simple as when there's one mistake like that 40 or 50 yards out, one pass and somebody's in on goal. It shouldn't be as simple as that but it is. We saw it a few weeks ago and we see it with the third goal. Mainoo, listen, he's had a brilliant few months but he loses it there and look at this...that shouldn't ever happen, look at the two full-backs! They're just coming back into the picture! If you're a full-back, you should always be expecting the worst going, 'He might lose it here.' The two of them are out of the picture.
Neville: Roy, I'm not sure. As the ball used to travel in to you or Scholesy, I'd be flying on the far side.
Keane: No, no, no, no, no. Not when he's got his back to play. If he's facing up the pitch and I expect you to be running, of course, but he [Mainoo] is not in proper control of that. You'd say to your teammate, unless you see your teammate in control of it...it's a bit of everything. As a defender, you always say, 'Expect the worst, expect your mate to lose it!' They're on the outside looking in, they should be back inside.
It's hard to argue with Roy Keane on this one.
The structural issues exposed by Liverpool on Sunday are the very same that were exploited time and time again by opposition sides last season for Manchester United.
Sunday's derby certainly does not instil confidence that Erik ten Hag has fixed any of the issues that plagued his second campaign in charge, something that will cast further doubt on his future as United manager.
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