Believe me if they’re to be in this my current squad,I will definitely lift the league title this season”, Arne slot names two Man United stars who could have won Liverpool the league – Not Fernandez and Not Rashford
Believe me if they’re to be in this my current squad,I will definitely lift the league title this season”, Arne slot names two Man United stars who could have won Liverpool the league – Not Fernandez and Not Rashford
In Manchester United’s Premier League-dominating heyday, so much of Sir Alex Ferguson’s success was down to the match-winning talents of the Red Devils’ wing wonders.
From the early to late 2000s, Old Trafford was home to David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Ji-Sung Park and, occasionally when asked to fill in out wide, a certain Wayne Rooney.
Now, this is not a point designed to make Manchester United supporters feel nostalgic.
In fact, this is arguably the best crop of wingers United have had in recent times, with Erik ten Hag facing up to the prospect of dropping one of Marcus Rashford, Amad Diallo or Alejandro Garnacho – all in thrilling form right now – for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Diallo has been outstanding all season, while Rashford and Garnacho both hit a brace apiece in the midweek 7-0 crushing of Barnsley.
Rather, it is an explanation Jamie Carragher puts forward when asked why Liverpool had to wait until 2020 to lift the coveted Premier League trophy for the very first time.
Liverpool could not wrestle the title from Manchester United
Under the stewardship of Rafa Benitez, Man United’s North West rivals lost only four top-flight games in 2007/08 and two in 2008/09.
Despite finishing a combined 15 points ahead of Liverpool in those campaigns, Ferguson’s side actually lost more often than their arch enemies in both seasons.
The difference, Carragher feels, is that United had the game-breakers out wide to turn draws into wins just when they needed it the most.
“At the time, in those two years, we played 76 league games and we only lost six,” Carragher recalls, speaking to The Overlap. “And we weren’t even that close to winning the league!
“We obviously drew a lot of games but maybe that goes back to the way we were set up as a team, maybe from the manager.
“Did he take enough risks? You can look at things like that.
“I always say, when you talk about winning the league, from 2005 to 2010, that was probably the best Man U team. You had the best Arsenal team, (with) the Invincibles. The best Chelsea team with Mourinho.
“Even though we didn’t win the league, we were probably one of the best four or five teams in Europe for four or five seasons. The only issue was the other teams were in the Premier League!”
Liverpool needed a Ryan Giggs or a Cristiano Ronaldo
Carragher, the legendary Liverpool centre-half, feels that the superior quality Man United possessed on either flank was perhaps the major reason why his perennial bridesmaids never got to wear the dress and walk down the aisle themselves.
Even during the 2008/09 season – when Benitez guided Liverpool to second and masterminded a 4-1 win at Old Trafford – they had Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt rather than Nani, Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo or Ryan Giggs.
“We just didn’t quite have enough. I think in the wide areas,” Carragher adds before turning to former United right-back Gary Neville. “You never played against an amazing winger for Liverpool.
“We never had a Ronaldo. We never had a Giggs. If we could have had one of them… I think we could have won the league.”
Neville, due to his role as a full-back, frequently came up against the best left-sided attackers Liverpool had to offer during more than a decade at the very top of English football.
And he feels that every single one of the current options at Arne Slot’s disposal – Luis Diaz, Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo – would stroll into that Benitez team without breaking sweat.
“None of your wide players that I played against for 10, 15 years, not one of them was as good as the four you’ve got now,” Neville says. “Diaz, Salah, Jota, Gakpo, (previously Sadio) Mane.”
Both Giggs and Ronaldo, meanwhile, are feeling a little more positive about Man United’s hopes of returning to the summit of English football.
Giggs is delighted by the progress made by Garnacho, while Ronaldo is happy to see Ineos bring about the behind-the-scenes changes he so desperately wanted.
