Liverpool Lose Without 14 Players, Against Man Utd's £260m Subs
Insanity in the reaction to losing an away cup tie against costly squad
Even though Liverpool lost (only in extra-time when tiring and with almost 15 of the Reds’ best players not on the pitch), it's a good experience for the players ahead of the league game in a few weeks.
I said before the game that United have some excellent players and super-quick strikers, but still don’t look like a “team”. With a week to prepare compared to Liverpool’s three days, they still just scraped the win in the 120th minute.
A majority of Liverpool’s players had never experienced this fixture. It’s a chance to feel a bit of hurt and do better next time, albeit perhaps with fewer rookies, kids and players playing on fumes.
One United equaliser was scored by a sub who cost £80m; holding up one finger as if counting all his goals this season (his league tally is still zero). The little-known plucky little lad who scored the winner cost £40m. On came a centre-back who cost £80m. And a midfielder who cost £60m. As well as the classy Christian Eriksen.
That’s £260m of subs used, and a top-class free transfer on big wages. Indeed, in a home game, United were able to introduce four subs who, combined, cost more than Liverpool’s starting XI.
And Liverpool’s entire subs bench cost a little more than underdogs United paid for Amad Diallo.
And none of it – the win, the subs – should have been possible after this:
https://twitter.com/davolaar/status/1769434433071796607?s=48
But, the broadcasters’ and PMGOL’s apparent “Entertainment Over Integrity” strategy kicked in again. (While a red may have been harsh, it’s one of those often called an “orange” – definite second yellow that could be a red.)
Liverpool were ahead and in control in the second period of extra time despite missing:
Alisson
Alexander-Arnold
Konaté
Szoboszlai
Salah
Robertson
Gomez
Díaz
Jota
Jones
Gravenberch
Thiago
Bajcetic
Doak
If you’d said at the start of the season that the Reds would be gutted at – and lambasted for – not winning at Old Trafford with a final-minutes team of:
Kelleher
Bradley
Quansah
Van Dik
Tsimikas
Endo
Mac Allister
Elliott
Gakpo
Núñez
Clark
… and with Jayden Danns, Adrián and James McConnell as the other subs left, you’d have thought the world had gone mad.
Of the XI that ended the game, three are first-team starters. Of the 16 used, three are first-team starters.
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