“We knew…” – Man United star claims they targeted Liverpool summer signings as weak links

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has made the big claim that he and his teammates felt Liverpool’s full-backs were weak links in their game today.

De Ligt spoke to Viaplay after the game, a surprise 2-1 win for Man Utd at Anfield, and it seems there was some kind of plan beforehand to get at Liverpool’s full-backs.

Arne Slot started with summer signing Milos Kerkez at left-back, while fellow new arrival Jeremie Frimpong didn’t even make it into the starting XI as Conor Bradley played ahead of him.

Either way, this is undeniably a major drop-off from when Liverpool had Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson both at their peaks.

De Ligt spoke after the game about United being aware of Liverpool’s full-backs as the major weakness in their squad, which is pretty damning when they would’ve been seen as exciting new signings when they first joined in the summer.

????| Matthijs de Ligt: “We knew that Liverpool have weaknesses. And that’s their full-backs.”

— centredevils. (@centredevils) October 19, 2025

“We knew that Liverpool have weaknesses. And that’s their full-backs,” the Netherlands international said after the game.

This is certainly a big problem for LFC, who just don’t look at all solid at the back this season, with the new full-backs perhaps a big part of the problem.

Frimpong looked like he should be a fine signing to replace Alexander-Arnold at right-back, but he’s quickly fallen out of favour with Slot.

The Dutchman didn’t start today as Bradley got the nod, while even Dominik Szoboszlai has filled in in that position a few times so far this season.

Kerkez, meanwhile, shone at former club Bournemouth but has found this step up difficult, so perhaps it’s time for Slot to bring Andrew Robertson back into the starting line up.

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Slot won the premiership season with Klops team. How many ex Liverpool managers would have BOUGHT all of those players in and expected them to get to know each other, work together and get to play a different system than they are used to. The players are getting lamasted but I really don’t think it is JUST them that should be taking ALL of the FLACK. Liverpool managers used to buy players one or two at a time and put them in the (THEN called the reserve team) to get to know the stystem that Liverpool played and to get to know the history of the club.When they eventually played in the first team they were well prepared and didn’t get the flack these lads are getting through no fault of their own. This is my own opinion but I think ALL OF THE FLACK SHOULD BE AIMED AT THE PEOPLE JUST ABOVE THE PLAYERS.