Yesterday was very much a case of Manchester United crashing back down to earth.
There had been a steady confidence building at the club in recent months on their back of their strong run of form, capped off by knocking Barcelona out of the Europa League and winning the Carabao Cup over the last couple of weeks.
Their game against Liverpool at Anfield was billed as a potential changing of the guard. Whereas Erik ten Hag has rejuvenated a previously very poor Manchester United team, Jurgen Klopp's side have dropped fairly dramatically from the standards they set last season.
However, this fixture was a reminder that the narrative around both clubs are perhaps not quite as extreme as they were made out to be.
Liverpool are not as bad as some of their results this season have suggested, while Manchester United are not the complete outfit that many had made them out to be.
The 7-0 thumping on Merseyside was a remarkable watch, one that will likely result in quite a thumping to the reputations of many Red Devils players.
Lisandro Martinez is likely to be chief amongst them.
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He had been labelled as one of the elite centre backs in world football in recent times, but his performance against Liverpool was well short of those standards.
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His role in the third goal has been much discussed, with 'The Butcher' getting a butchering of his own as he was turned inside-out by Mohamed Salah in the buildup to Cody Gakpo's strike.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 5, 2023
His role in the first goal was more subtle, although some are equally as concerned about his contribution to it.
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Paul Scholes criticises trait in Lisandro Martinez game
As Liverpool launched a dangerous looking attack and Gakpo made his way into the box, Martinez took such a deep position that he was standing directly in front of David De Gea.
Not only did this block the goalkeeper's view of the strike, but it also meant that the opposition attacker was afforded the space to shoot in the box without being put under pressure.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 5, 2023
The more you watch it, the more you can see that he perhaps should have done better.
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Speaking on Premier League Productions, Paul Scholes criticised Lisandro Martinez for his role in this goal and said that his habit of dropping too deep when defending often haves a negative impact on his team.
I certainly don’t think it helps De Gea. I don’t think he’s quite in line at the point it’s kicked but David can also think the ball might hit him.
But when he [Gakpo] does hit it, he has gone right past him. You see David’s reaction there towards Martinez, he doesn’t quite have a go at him, but I think he should do.
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I think it happened a couple of times, once before with Robertson where he ended up clearing it off the line, he’s going far too deep, he should be getting up the pitch, can he stop the shot or have an effect on the shot rather than get in the keeper’s way.
He needs to trust his goalkeeper. This is a top goalkeeper we’re talking about, do not get in his way. If anybody gets in the goalkeeper’s way it’s criminal.
Martinez is excellent in last gap defensive situations, although it could perhaps be said that his habit to drop deep can often invite on such incidents in the first place.
Erik ten Hag will be hoping that yesterday's result won't knock the confidence of his squad too much in the midst of what is a very busy period for the club.
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