Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been criticised by Paul Merson for opting to play Wout Weghorst in the deeper number 10 role against Liverpool.
Since moving to Old Trafford on loan from Burnley, Weghorst has been deployed in a couple of different roles. The target man has played in his more traditional lone striker position but, in a bid to utilise his ability to hold the ball up, the Dutchman in a slightly deeper role.
While Weghorst has performed well in this role, particularly against Leicester City last month, Merson has slammed Ten Hag for opting to try the 30-year-old in that position against Liverpool. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the former Arsenal man said: "The manager, for me, has been getting away with it.
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"Yes, he's done great in a way. But Wout Weghorst as a number ten, I'm not having that. How is he a number ten? How is the manager getting away with that?
"It's Manchester United Football Club and you've got Weghorst as a ten – he can't turn and run, he can't pass through the eye of a needle. What is he thinking?
"I'm not blaming Ten Hag because they lost, but why play Marcus Rashford against Virgil van Dijk? He plays out wide every week. You've got Liverpool's weakest defender in Trent Alexander-Arnold having a free ride. Trent wouldn't have believed his luck.
"Man United got it tactically wrong. I couldn't believe it when I saw the set-up of the team – there is only one manager who could have got away with that and that is Ten Hag."
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