‘He needs to leave my Club with immediate effect I don’t want to See him in Old Trafford Sir Jim Ratcliffe has Sack Erik Ten Hag this morning after a shocking defeat to Liverpool.

Liverpool defeated Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, putting further pressure on Erik ten Hag after a dismal start to the season.

United have lost two of their first three Premier League games as they enter the September international break, and after just narrowly retaining his position this summer, Ten Hag is already under pressure.

Luis Diaz’s first-half double put Liverpool ahead, and Mohamed Salah added a third after the interval to earn a comfortable victory over a sadly disappointing United.

Casemiro was at blame for both of Diaz’s goals, and he was substituted at halftime by Toby Collyer, with his position in the club under more scrutiny following the arrival of Manuel Ugarte.

Ratcliffe’s vindication.

United’s triumph over Liverpool in the third game of Ten Hag’s first season occurred on a night when Casemiro was introduced on the pitch before kickoff. A little more than two years later, the Brazilian was waiting in the dressing room as his successor had the same procedure.

Manuel Ugarte’s introduction got Old Trafford in the mood, and they would have despised seeing their new Uruguayan on an afternoon when they planned to make the Scousers cry, as the Stretford’s End homage to Diego Forlan used to go. Unfortunately, any tears shed would have marked the end of Casemiro’s career as an elite footballer. The Saudi Pro League transfer market ends on Monday, but the Brazilian’s £300,000-a-week salary does not appear cheap.

He made it through the first two Premier League games of the season, but he had his pocket taken against Brighton. Against Liverpool, he was brutally exposed in a 50-minute first half. That was 49 too long for Casemiro, a five-time Champions League winner whose game has deteriorated at an alarming rate.

He handed up the ball for Diaz’s first goal and was pickpocketed again for Diaz’s second. His passing was poor, he could not cover enough ground to compensate for a midfield that was once again lacking in action, and he appeared to be done at this level. The fact that he was replaced by a 20-year-old who had only played 30 minutes of senior football was revealing.

United will now hope that Ugarte gets some playing time with Uruguay over the international break and is ready to face Southampton. Starting Casemiro in a holding midfield role is just not an option right now.

The £60 million deal to purchase him from Real Madrid was praised during his outstanding first season, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe was already doubting the merits of such a large spend on a player in his 30s when he went over the books ahead of his investment. As he sat in the directors’ box on Sunday afternoon, the vindication would not have been worth it.

Zirkzee’s Impact

Joshua Zirkzee got his United career off to a great start by scoring off the bench against Fulham, but his promotion to the starting XI against Liverpool served as a reminder that he is still a raw talent.

Zirkzee pushed Alisson into a number of second-half saves, and his work rate boosted Old Trafford, but he also threw the ball away, frequently by picking the incorrect option as an assault developed. He will improve for days like these, although United could need a bit more sharpness in attack. Part of the game came down to ruthlessness in the penalty area, something United sorely lacked.

Zirkzee’s game is not the same as Rasmus Hojlund’s, but he is in a similar professional position. He had identical stats at Bologna as Hojlund at Atalanta. He is a player with skill and promise who is still obtaining top-tier experience. When healthy, Hojlund is expected to have started his debut season with Manchester. United will hope Zirkzee experiences a similar learning curve.

Mount’s Influence

When asked before the game who would press in Mason Mount’s absence, Ten Hag responded simply. “Bruno and Josh,” was the logical retort, considering the forced move that saw Zirkzee replace Mount.

But, whether it was an intentional strategy or not, the pressure was far from as relentless and aggressive as it had been against Fulham and Brighton. Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes would sit back, reducing passing angles and allowing the defenders to hold the ball. That is a mistake when your back four contains Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, both of whom are excellent ball passers.