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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has suggested that Manchester United summer signing Matthijs de Ligt is a better ball-playing defender than Reds star Ibrahima Konate.
Last Sunday (September 1), both De Ligt and Konate started for their respective clubs in the Reds' 3-0 Premier League win at Old Trafford. While the former was substituted off in the 69th minute, the Frenchman played the full 90 minutes to help his team keep a clean sheet.
During a recent chat on The Overlap, Carragher offered his analysis of Manchester United's defensive structure and opined on Red Devils goalkeeper Andre Onana. He said (h/t SPORTbible):
"If you just go with the actual building from the back, all top teams try and build up from the back. You can talk about it being right or wrong but that's what the top teams do. I think the goalkeeper... with the ball at his feet, he's quite good. I don't think he's a good goalie, he's a really poor goalkeeper but in terms of with his feet, he's okay."
Carragher, who played for Liverpool a whopping 737 times, added:
"[Lisandro] Martinez is really good with the ball and then you've got De Ligt who's as good as Konate or maybe slightly better than Konate on the ball. So, I think it's the actual set-up and the structure. I said last year, United keep getting counter-attacked, it's because of where they are on the ball, players just seem all over the place."
De Ligt, 25, left Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in a potential £43 million deal to join Manchester United last month. He has made three league appearances for his new club, starting just once in the process.
Konate, on the other hand, has helped Liverpool lift four trophies since departing RB Leipzig in 2021. The 25-year-old defender has registered three goals and two assists in 93 overall appearances for his club.
Liverpool identify Manchester United-linked Jarrad Branthwaite as top defensive target
According to Spanish news outlet Fichajes.net, Liverpool are interested in launching a move to snap up Jarrad Branthwaite next summer. Everton are said to value their defender at around £80 million.
Branthwaite, who has been identified as a potential replacement for Virgil van Dijk, was reportedly linked with Manchester United earlier this summer. Everton rejected two bids for their star from the Red Devils.
The Carlisle United youth product, who is currently nursing a groin injury, relished a sensational campaign for Everton last time around. The 22-year-old helped his club keep 15 shutouts in 41 overall outings.
