Liverpool legend Didi Hamann remembers the days when it was impossible for a player to reject the chance to join Manchester United.
He reckons Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro can have only agreed to leave the European champions for Old Trafford for one reason - and it isn’t to win the Premier League. Hamann has warned his former club to beware a United backlash when they travel to Manchester on Monday.
But the German whose first season in England at Newcastle ended with Sir Alex Ferguson’s team beating the Toon in the FA Cup final to clinch the second part of an historic Treble, believes the future is bleak for United.
“Casemiro is a great player - you only have to look at what he has won at Madrid,” said Hamann. “But he isn’t going to United to win the league, is he? We’re only two games into the season and it’s already obvious that United aren’t going to be anywhere near the title race. They are years behind Liverpool and Manchester City - and they are losing ground on Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal as well.
“Signing Casemiro is a small step forward - but he’s not the answer. It is going to take years and years of backing Erik ten Hag in the transfer market before United are challenging for the big trophies again. But that’s been obvious since [Sir Alex] Ferguson retired - and look at how many managers they have sacked in the process.”
Hamann joined Newcastle from Bayern Munich in 1998, but his finest years were the seven seasons he spent at Anfield, where he won the Champions League, two FA Cups and two League Cups. He understands how the form book counts for nothing when his former club faces the old enemy from Manchester. And while Jurgen Klopp’s men beat United by a 9-0 aggregate in the Premier League last season, he doesn’t expect the Merseysiders to get such an easy ride this time.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Ten Hag turn around United? Let us know in the comments section
Hamann said: “Liverpool haven’t had the best of starts, with two draws - and this is probably the last game they would have wanted at this stage. United have a much better team than their results. They will see this as an opportunity to get their own season up and running by going above Liverpool in the table. If Ten Hag gets his team selection and tactics right then he can make it very difficult for Klopp.
“I know the focus has been on (Cristiano) Ronaldo because he’s made it clear that he wants to leave the club, but where would United have been without his goals last season? Ronaldo is a big-game player, someone who can make a difference. For me, the biggest problem for Ten Hag is Bruno Fernandes. I can’t remember the last time I saw him do something other than wave his hands around in frustration. You can’t have players doing that in games against Liverpool. Everyone has to put a full shift in.”
