Jamie Carragher Explains How Matthijs de Ligt is Causing Man Utd Problems

Jamie Carragher has heavily criticized Matthijs de Ligt for being “out of position all the time” as Manchester United’s struggles continue. De Ligt, a £43 million summer signing from Bayern Munich, reunited with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, but his start at Old Trafford has been far from smooth.

Despite some promising moments, such as scoring his first goal for United against Southampton, the team’s recent 3-0 loss to Tottenham exposed major weaknesses in De Ligt’s game. Carragher, on *Sky Sports*’ *Monday Night Football*, broke down De Ligt’s positioning during the match.

Carragher Criticizes De Ligt’s Positional Awareness

While analysing Tottenham’s opening goal, Carragher highlighted how De Ligt failed to close down space, allowing his international teammate Micky van de Ven to burst into the penalty area and set up Brennan Johnson. Carragher commented:

“I’ve noticed this with De Ligt and a lot of centre-backs. I don’t understand why they don’t fill the space… If De Ligt goes over, Martinez comes across. He’s looking over his shoulder—forget that! It was a brilliant run, but van de Ven ran because he saw the space.”

Carragher also pointed to another moment when De Ligt was late in challenging Timo Werner, a repeated issue throughout the match. He noted that De Ligt’s positioning forces him into risky tackles, increasing his chances of receiving yellow and red cards.

Paul Scholes Questions De Ligt Signing

Carragher isn’t alone in his doubts about De Ligt. Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has also criticized the Dutch defender, questioning whether he represents a significant upgrade over Harry Maguire. Scholes remarked:

“He might be slightly better, but it’s not a massive improvement where you think, wow.” 

Both Carragher and Scholes believe that De Ligt’s early performances suggest United’s defensive issues may persist despite the hefty investment in the Dutchman.