Following the clash between Liverpool and Manchester United, former Red Devils striker Louis Saha spoke exclusively with Compare.bet. The former French international, who also played for Newcastle and Everton, spoke about Rashford’s potential as one of the league’s best, the impact Casemiro can have and the part Ronaldo has to play this season. Saha also shared his thoughts on Liverpool, who are still searching for their first Premier League win this season, urging Trent Alexander-Arnold to find balance in his game and backing Virgil van Dijk to bounce back from his mistake against United.
- First win under Ten Hag was “exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve liked”
- “Demanding” Martinez is what United have been missing for years
- Saha backs Rashford and Sancho to make Southgate’s World Cup squad
- Casemiro can have a Fabinho-like impact, and push United to top-four finish
- Ronaldo is still #1 at Old Trafford – “Nobody can score as much as Cristiano Ronaldo”
- Liverpool suffering after Mané mistake – “He’s one of the best players in the world”
- “Attack-minded” Trent needs to find balance
DB: I’m guessing you’re in a great mood after last night, what did you think of the game?
LS: You’re right! They played the game the way all the fans want to see. If they lost or drew, they had the right attitude and courage to do the simple and hard stuff. I like what I saw and they can have a lot of confidence, this a good foundation to build on. If they do this every weekend they will win a lot of games by a big margin because most teams are not on the level of Liverpool. They were composed, defended as a team, all good signs. They can compete with anyone, it’s just a matter of approaching the game correctly.
DB: We saw a transformed United side win against Liverpool last night – what differences stood out to you?
LS: The commitment. Understanding the energy levels, do I have to press? When not to press. Do I have to work hard because it’s a 90-minute game? No, if you’re actually tired after 70 minutes someone else in the squad can come on and take your place. You have to have the commitment and belief you’re going to score, make the opposition struggle to keep up with you and that you’re going to get your reward, whether you as an individual, or the team as a collective. We saw this approach from the first few minutes of the game and the goal represented that. The first goal, recovering the ball high, getting the ball down the side, one-two, it’s simple. But at the same time, you have to have the confidence and composure to dribble and express your talent, which is what Sancho did. If they do this, no matter who they’re facing, it’s no problem. You might lose, but the fans and press will not blame you for a lack of commitment. The main improvement I’ve seen is the willingness to commit, bodies on the line, in front of the opponents and breaking the press. Before they would back off three or four yards, but they were much closer last night, forcing the opponent and Liverpool to do something special. The new guy Malacia did his job. He was focused and not just playing for himself. He was playing to the standard of Manchester United, helping the team spirit and aggressiveness. The team selection matched Liverpool’s aggressiveness. This is a good base.
DB: Lisandro Martinez was taken off at halftime against Brentford and many were writing him off already, often pointing to his lack of height. He impressed last night. What do you think of him as a player so far?
LS: Those are the typical games for defenders and he needs to understand the types of strikers he’s going to face, the intensity he’ll be facing game to game, the different tactics that will be employed because maybe he’s lacking height. I see a player who is thinking. When going into 50-50s, when getting positioning right – it will be tough to take advantage of his height because he can anticipate and compensate. I remember Patrice Evra’s first game, he had a really difficult time against Man City and I think he had to be brought off at halftime. It was the same for Vidic. So many defenders struggle because it’s a different intensity [in the Premier League], openness to the game and different referees. So he has been targeted, and people highlighted his height for one of the goals against Brentford, I think any defender would have struggled there because they’re trained in defending the ball and not attacking it, those things have been exaggerated. I don’t think he played any worse than anyone else against Brentford, the manager said it he could have subbed 11 players. It’s good to see he responded well and showed character, talent and good communication with Varane. I really like his body language, I haven’t seen that for the last four to five years at United, players shouting and demanding things, it was a really good showing.
DB: Jadon Sancho did really well for his goal last night after struggling with form since joining United. What advice would you give him for the rest of the season?
LS: To any forward players, especially when they are talented, they don’t need to think about particular aspects of their game as people say. It’s about commitment. When I’ve seen Rashford just commit, the opposition have to think. He should be running at them and run hard, ok you might be tired at 70 minutes but then the next game you can go and do it for 80 minutes. Those guys need to stop thinking and looking at what people are saying, and just focus on what they really like to do. Because they are forwards they really need to believe in themselves and just focus on that. Striking the ball, running with the ball, asking for the ball and playing with more smiles and expressions and it will come good. These guys are talented and when you do that you have the freedom to express yourself when in the box. They showed it yesterday and it was well balanced, and I think today they really deserve the praise. They have been under a lot of criticism, but today believe it’s not just because Liverpool played a poor game yesterday, which they did, but for United to do that after the first two games with a few changes was nice to see.
DB: Rashford grabbed a goal and was the man of the match last night. Do you think he still has the potential to be one of the best forwards in the league?
LS: Of course. I have no doubts. Again, I like to see Rashford getting at defenders, getting the ball and running at them. Challenging them saying ‘go on have a race with me’. Most of the time he will get the ball, and then he has the capacity to do it again and again and force defenders to make mistakes over the game. The mistake might not come against Rashford, it could be Martial, or Ronaldo, this is the type of commitment these guys need to have. Rashford has definitely showed he can do this at the start of his career and we want to see him back to that freedom like what Elanga is showing. There is a need for these guys to express their massive talent.
DB: Both were dropped from the England squad earlier in the year – do you think they can play their way back in to the World Cup squad?
LS: I really hope so. I think it’s going to be a great World Cup if those guys are in the squad. They’re entertainers for everyone in the world, some of the most talented players in Europe, we want to see them on a stage like the World Cup. I wish them the best. Consistency is key for them, having a manager who believes in them will definitely help. Having that target gives you a sense of urgency and motivation will definitely help those guys.
DB: After the match Ten Hag praised Rashford and Sancho for pressing from the front, something he wants from his side. It clearly worked well, do you think United are better off without Ronaldo in the starting XI going forward?
LS: No, I don’t think so. I believe there are some games where they will need a different type of energy level, I can understand that tactically, but his experience is unrivalled. Nobody can score as much as Cristiano Ronaldo, nobody can create that sense of fear in any defence. You can have the speed and skills and all this youth in your body, but you can’t buy this genius in the way of scoring goals, attracting those balls in the box like Cristiano has done over his career. I doubt anyone can score as much as him if you give them the same opportunities. I’m sure he will score. Fitness-wise he may not be at the same level, but as a team, a squad, especially a squad that wants to win trophies, you need a combination of experience and competition, and Cristiano is a different animal.
DB: Martial returned last night after an injury setback. Do you think Ten Hag can rely on him as his number nine in the long-term future?
LS: I think he’s a player who has matured. He came on and did really well, showed a spirit I haven’t seen from him. Kept his head up, asked for the fans to follow the team, it’s amazing. That expression is needed in Manchester United’s set up and what we’ve been asking for from him for so many years. You can’t miss opportunities and expect him to work back to his position without showing emotion. Even if you’re boiling inside, [without that expression] it doesn’t give the indication that you are on it. I think he understands this, coming back from injury and coming on before Cristiano, having that kind of response and link with the fans, I really loved it. It was a derby and an important game for United. To have those guts and courage is exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve liked, he’d be thrilled and select you before anyone because you showed courage. A lot of guys have been criticised in a lot of games, and rightly so, but yesterday all of those guys need massive massive praise. It was amazing. Those guys showed a lot of courage yesterday.
DB: Sky showed a graphic in the first half comparing Bruno’s stats before and after Ronaldo joined the club. He was effective last night with Ronaldo on the bench. Do you think there’s any reason that Bruno seems to be more effective without Ronaldo on the pitch?
LS: I don’t know. It sounds strange to me. It doesn’t matter who is on the pitch, and what type of tactic is in place. I don’t buy it, and I don’t like it. Cristiano Ronaldo is an amazing player. If you are in good position, he will get you the ball, if he doesn’t get you the ball, most of the time he will score a goal. He’s their best player. For Bruno, he knows he can do better, whether or not Cristiano is on the field. He should be able to adapt to any situation and can’t blame someone else because he is on the field. He’s a professional guy and when you’re not playing well, you’re not playing well. If I were him, I’d look at my own performances.
DB: Harry Maguire was dropped against Liverpool, with Ten Hag saying he wants “agility and mobility in the back four”. Do you think he’ll struggle to maintain his place week in, week out?
LS: If it’s about having the kind of performances we saw yesterday, with agility and confidence, then I don’t know. Maybe with less focus on him, where players and managers deciding to challenge him every game and some time off, his form could get better. But that’s not going to be easy because he’s club captain. But the result is the most important thing, not the player. Erik ten Hag knows that, and whatever he decides, I will back him up, because he showed yesterday that he has got his philosophy right, and the players let the manager down in the first two games, mostly with their attitude and approach to the game. It was a great response from the players yesterday.
DB: He made some big decisions last night and clearly got it right – what do you think of Ten Hag so far?
LS: I really like him. He’s very confident, very strong. He seems to be strict and flexible at the same time. He understands the nature of game, and the nature of Manchester United, and the challenges he is facing. He has been very strong in every field. He has been humble, by bringing in members of staff that know about United so he can learn from them. He has done nice stuff. I really like his approach in the transfer market, by going for players he really believes are going to make a difference as well as players he knows from Holland in his own philosophy. He seems comfortable and motivated, and thats the best way to get through to the players. For now, he seems to be doing well. Everybody will make mistakes and I am fine with that.
DB: The side looked really promising last night, how good do you think they can be if you add someone of Casemiro’s quality to the side – can he help push them into the top four?
LS: Yes. You have to remember, when Fabinho arrived at Liverpool, they immediately became a different side. They went from potential winners, to winners. Casemiro can do the same. United have lacked consistency in the middle of the park at times, and I remember games in the Champions League where Casemiro was everywhere and pressing the goalkeeper and playing brilliantly with Modric and Kroos. He’s the type of character that I like to see at United. He will bring consistency and experience to the midfield, and McTominay and Fred may benefit from that. In some way I can see the forwards really benefitting from his arrival too. Of course he will know the Premier League is a different animal to La Liga, but he is a world-class player.
DB: Liverpool are still looking for their first win after such an impressive season last year. Would you be worried if you were Jurgen Klopp?
LS: No, there is no reason to be worried. If I were him I’d be asking a bit more from my players, but in any team like this, when many of the players have been the same for a long time, the opposition can start to understand what they are going to face so maybe there are things that maybe he needs to change in some way, but this manager is a very smart one, and he has a great connection with his players. It’s not a crisis yet, and they will be fine.
DB: Do you think Liverpool are missing Sadio Mane?
LS: Yes, they know it, but I’m not sure they want to admit it. I think they made a mistake because he’s one of the best players in the world. Looking at it in quite a simple way, I felt that maybe Sadio didn’t feel the love as much as he deserved and this is why he left. Life goes on, and Liverpool will recover from the big loss, because he is a big player. The simplicity and generosity [in his style of play], the guarantee that he’s going to produce when pressure is on. He’s the best player for that. Some players are really good when things are going well, this guy is producing when things are bad. This is why I think he’s one of the best, the second half of last season he was the man when Liverpool were not playing so well.
DB: We saw van Dijk stand still for the Sancho goal and Milner was having a go at him. What would you be saying to van Dijk if he was your teammate?
LS: I think clearly, Milner knows that the defender [van Dijk] has made a mistake, that’s a rare one from him. He’s a confident player who’s won a lot of things, I have no doubt he can take the criticism and improve – that’s it. I think that he’s a top player and he’s not going to say ‘no it’s not my fault’. Clearly he’s at fault for the goal, he should have came out and committed. Nevertheless, he’s a great player. There was some time where nobody had even dribbled past him, it happens – he’s not a robot, he’s going to make mistakes. If players like Sancho, Rashford and Ronaldo can take advantage of those mistakes, then I’m not going to complain [laughs]. He’s a defender I admire, I really like his style. You just need to trust that he will bounce back and improve.
DB: Jamie Carragher criticised Trent Alexander-Arnold on commentary for his defensive performance. He’s been praised for his distribution going forward, but do you think he’s good enough on the defensive end?
LS: That’s the balance that you need to find. When you’re so skilful going forward, you might lack opportunities to focus on the defensive side. This Liverpool side haven’t been an easy side to score against, so I think it’s a bit unfair. They’ve defended well as a team, but of course they’ll face challenges – they’re not up against bad players. I tend to praise the forward players who have put themselves in advantageous positions, rather than saying the defender is bad. Again, they [defenders] are not robots – someone is getting the ball at their feet and deciding to go left or right, you won’t always be able to guess correctly. It’s the challenge Trent will face as an attack-minded defender though, he will need to find that balance, but he’s a terrific player.
DB: After this weekend, there’s only one team with a perfect record – your old Everton teammate Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side have won three from three. What do you think of Arteta as a manager?
LS: He has shut down the critics. Clearly, he came in as a young manager three years ago, maybe without the credentials you’d expect for someone at such a big club. He’s done really well. He’s shown that he’s able to make strong decisions, that he’s strong tactically, and how to play good football and develop young talent. To show all of this in three years and earn that respect, it’s a big achievement. I’m not surprised, but I am excited to see more. He’s got a big club in his hands with big ambition, so I hope it goes well for him personally. He’s got a lot of talent at his disposal, they just need to find consistency. They’ll be competing with Tottenham, and that’s what they were lacking previously. Since the departure of the likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira, it’s been hard for them to find that consistency and aggressiveness at the club, and I think that’s what Mikel needs to work on, to get back where everyone expects Arsenal to be – a title contender, a Champions League winner at some point. That’s the next step they need to look for.
DB: The recent Arsenal ‘All or Nothing’ documentary gave us a good look at Arteta behind the scenes, have you watched it?
LS: I haven’t yet, but I’ve seen some of the clips, where they show some insight into how the club is run. I like seeing that. The Aubameyang situation, for example. It’s a tough job! People think [as a manager], you just decide ‘I’m going to sub him’ or ‘I’m going to play him there’, but there’s a lot in the background and a documentary like this will allow people to have more respect [for the manager], as it’s not easy. I’m gonna watch it soon and I’ll let you know!
DB: William Saliba has impressed so far since returning from his Ligue 1 loan spells to Arsenal. He’s already been compared to the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Virgil van Dijk. How would you describe his potential?
LS: He has huge potential, but with Arsenal, they’ve struggled with consistency. Mikel had to try out a few different combinations at the back and it hasn’t worked out. Now he seems to have Saliba back with good confidence, helped by his experience going out on loan. Only time will tell, we’ve seen van Dijk yesterday making mistakes, for example, but it’s about how you bounce back. How you react when things are not going well, this is where you see character – they have three wins in three games. I think he’s got the potential, I just hope he finds the right partner at the back which makes them difficult to beat. That’s what they’re missing – they play good attractive football, they create chances, they know how to score goals, they’re one of the best teams in Europe. But they need to defend well and be scrappy, they need to be difficult to beat away from home, this is the step forward they need to take to win the title.
DB: Do you think the pressure will start to ramp up on Frank Lampard if things don’t turn around soon?
LS: Yes. Like with any manager, if your team isn’t playing well, if you’re not getting the results you should have, there’ll be pressure. It’s a mid to long-term project, as they’re coming off the back of a miraculous survival last year. He’ll need time, the Premier League is a marathon. He’ll need the club to be patient for him to get things going, get the tactics right. It took two or three years for Klopp to get the Liverpool side to a standard he was happy with. It will probably take more for Frank to get Everton competing for the Europa League or Champions League places consistently.
DB: Another of your former clubs, Newcastle, managed to take points off champions City this weekend. What are your expectations for them this season?
LS: I expect them to upset, to establish themselves as a contender for the future. Top five, top six, easily. They won’t be able to compete for the top four, but to be back in that discussion will be amazing. The manager, not only the players, is doing well. He’s got it right tactically, and restored the confidence and spirit that the players need to show every week. The fans are united, but expectations aren’t too high. They need to be humble, and understand the season is long. It won’t be because of investment [in the transfer market] that you get results, it’ll be about humility, hard work and having patience – it’ll take time and won’t be easy.
