Liverpool
De Ligt: United were sent to exploit Liverpool fullback ‘weakness’ in Anfield victory
De Ligt says United targeted Liverpool fullbacks; Amad and Mbeumo exposed Anfield weakness. on Sun.
Manchester United set out with a clear tactical brief to target Liverpool’s fullbacks and it paid off as they ended a run without victory at Anfield that stretched back to 2016. Matthijs de Ligt said the instructions were focused and precise after the match.
“We knew that Liverpool had weaknesses, and that’s their fullbacks,” De Ligt revealed to Viaplay after the match. “We were all really hyped, and the focus was very high. Today was a game that you really have to be concentrated.”
The decisive sequence began when Bruno Fernandes funnelled the ball out to Amad Diallo on the wing, where he was met by a timid Kerkez. Van Dijk trotted back into position, half-heartedly pointed over his shoulder at the blur of white sprinting between himself and Ibrahima Konaté. Bryan Mbeumo finished through a weak Giorgi Mamardashvili and Liverpool’s defence were left to look around at each other in shock.
Kerkez never got to grips with the double act of Amad and Mbeumo. Liverpool’s summer recruit from Bournemouth has endured a testing start to his Anfield career and offered little reassurance on Sunday. Such was Van Dijk’s frustration with the left back that, after inadvertently kicking the ball into Kerkez’s face, it was the Dutch captain who demanded an apology.
Conor Bradley was less troubled on the opposite flank, largely because Mason Mount was more likely to tuck infield rather than dribble at him like Mbeumo. Matheus Cunha operated as a roving forward and created disruption across the backline.
“Sometimes the characteristic of the game change the way we approach it,” United head coach Ruben Amorim explained. “Cunha in the middle, if we put Ben [Šeško] it is easier for this kind of centre backs to control our striker. This kind of game, when we win, the coach is so smart and when we lose, the problem is the manager.”
Bruno Fernandes reflected on the crowd and the approach: “We knew that we had to win our duels. In the first 10 minutes, we knew they would try to start the game very strongly,” United’s skipper outlined to BBC Sport. “Also, in the first half, we understood that they were under pressure when they had time on the ball, the fans were putting them in a difficult position and booing for them to play quicker. We wanted to slow their game, and we knew that would give massive spaces around the middle. In the second half, we could have played a little bit more on the ball.”
Analytics & Stats
Salah becomes first player with 152 goal contributions at one Premier League stadium
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one Premier League ground, overtaking Henry and Rooney. 2026
Mohamed Salah set a new Premier League benchmark when he reached 152 goal contributions at a single stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total places him ahead of the previous record of 151, which was held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s tally at that ground is compiled from 107 goals and 45 assists, producing the 152 figure that now stands alone at the top. Thierry Henry’s total there was 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney recorded 101 goals and 50 assists for the same combined total.
Mohamed Salah
Goals 107
Assists 45
Total 152
Thierry Henry
Goals 114
Assists 37
Total 151
Wayne Rooney
Goals 101
Assists 50
Total 151
Beyond the stadium-specific milestone, Salah remains on course for other career landmarks in the Premier League. He is fourth on the all-time scoring list with 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can move up into third depends on form and remaining fixtures: Liverpool have 14 Premier League games left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 outings this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer 260
Harry Kane 213
Wayne Rooney 208
Mohamed Salah 190*
Andrew Cole 187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah and have strengthened his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Analytics & Stats
Salah sets unique Premier League record with 152 goal contributions at one ground
Salah reached 152 goal contributions at one ground, surpassing Henry and Rooney’s 151 totals Feb. 1.
Mohamed Salah became the first player to register 152 goal contributions at a single Premier League stadium during Liverpool’s 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United on Saturday. That total moves him past the previous high of 151, a mark held jointly by Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney at Highbury and Old Trafford respectively.
Salah’s landmark is the product of sustained output for Liverpool over several seasons. The numbers at that ground break down as 107 goals and 45 assists, producing a combined total of 152. By comparison, Thierry Henry recorded 114 goals and 37 assists for 151, while Wayne Rooney had 101 goals and 50 assists, also 151.
Salah
Goals
Assists
Total
Mohamed Salah
107
45
152
Thierry Henry
114
37
151
Wayne Rooney
101
50
151
Beyond this stadium-specific record, Salah is also tracking career scoring milestones in the league. He sits fourth on the all-time Premier League scorers list on 190, 18 behind Wayne Rooney’s 208 return and behind Alan Shearer and Harry Kane. Whether he can climb into third remains an open question given Liverpool have 14 Premier League matches left and Salah has scored four goals in 16 appearances this season.
Player
Goals
Alan Shearer
260
Harry Kane
213
Wayne Rooney
208
Mohamed Salah
190*
Andrew Cole
187
*stats correct as of Feb. 1, 2026
The past 18 months have been full of broken records for Salah, reinforcing his standing in Premier League history. The clock is ticking for Salah and it is not yet clear how long he has left to rack up the numbers. His current contract says 18 months but his tense relationship with manager Arne Slot may suggest otherwise.
Liverpool
Slot: Liverpool Will Only Sign in January If It Fits a Longer-Term Plan
Slot: Liverpool will only act in January if transfers are smart, long-term solutions after injuries.
Liverpool face a short-term selection problem after right back Jeremie Frimpong withdrew injured during Wednesday’s Champions League win. With Conor Bradley already sidelined, manager Arne Slot warned the club will not make a kneejerk signing in the remaining days of the January window.
“We as a club always make decisions we at least think are smart decisions,” Slot explained, adding that any addition must fit beyond the immediate need. “We not only look at the short-term, we look at the long-term. It always depends on [if] there are players available that we think can help us and if they are can we afford them … and [if] it is also helpful for the longer-term future because our players come back from injury as well.”
Slot also cautioned against an overstocked roster, noting that “Having a squad with “four right backs, 12 midfielders and three or four No. 9s” is not viable.” The club already regard two of their right backs as among the best in the world, and Slot underlined that both will return to full fitness in the months ahead.
Fabrizio Romano has outlined on YouTube that preliminary market assessments, conducted after Bradley’s injury on Jan. 8, concluded there are “no good right backs” of the “level” Liverpool would demand available in this window. Time is limited: the transfer window closes at 7 p.m. GMT (2 p.m. ET) on Monday and normal fixtures continue across the weekend.
Slot was pragmatic about immediate availability. “Let’s first see how Jeremie is, maybe he is not able to play Saturday, but maybe he is able to play one or two days later,” he said. “We now go into a schedule where we have one game a week, so that would usually mean less injuries—but you are never sure.”
It is Frimpong’s fourth hamstring injury of the season. Liverpool’s automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16 means no European matches until mid-March, allowing the squad to focus on the Premier League and FA Cup. Their only midweek fixture before March is the Feb. 11 trip to Sunderland, and the reduced schedule should provide more recovery time.
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