Manchester United centre back Matthijs de Ligt revealed that his side had been sent out with the specific brief of targeting Liverpool’s two fullbacks, Milos Kerkez and Conor Bradley, which he described as a clear “weakness” for the defending Premier League champions.
United’s early opener in Sunday’s 2–1 victory at Anfield duly came down Kerkez’s left wing, although Virgil van Dijk wasn’t entirely without blame. Liverpool’s towering centre back failed to get much purchase on a headed clearance inside the opening minute, making more firm contact with the back of Alexis Mac Allister’s scalp.
