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Former England No. 1 Ben Foster has revealed the approach he and Watford used to trouble Manchester United last season. Foster also admitted that following the same formula wouldn't have worked against the Red Devils' arch-rivals, Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Englishman is currently without a club after spending the 2021-22 campaign with the Hornets and ultimately suffering relegation from the Premier League. Despite experiencing the lows of falling to the EFL Championship, Watford also went through a few highs last season.
Prime among those were their results against United. The Hornets thrashed the Red Devils 4-1 at Vicarage Road and put in a disciplined display to pick up a point after a 0-0 stalemate at Old Trafford.
Foster started both games in goal for Watford. During a recent interaction on talkSPORT Breakfast, he explained their gameplan in both the home and away fixtures against United, saying:
“When you’re playing someone like Man United you’ve just got to go up against them. They have got quality players but if you get up into them they will struggle a little bit and that’s always the way that we tried to approach those games.”
Foster, who notably played for the Red Devils between 2005 and 2010, added why a similar approach wouldn't have worked against Liverpool or Manchester City. He said:
“Going back to Liverpool and Man City, we would be scared about trying to get up into their faces, because they have got so much more technical ability to play it round you and if they get behind you, you’re struggling full stop.”
He noted that while the victory at Vicarage Road was great, the draw at Old Trafford was more significant as they were a struggling side. Foster elaborated that the atmosphere at United's home ground played a part in the end result as well:
“The longer the game went on, the more Manchester United fans would get onto the Manchester United players’ backs and you could feel this sort of atmosphere and that’s what’s wrong with it at the minute.”
Ben Foster reveals that he expected Manchester United to lose against Brighton & Hove Albion
The Red Devils' 2022-23 season got off to the worst start possible, as they lost 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion on August 7 at Old Trafford. Pascal Gross scored a brace, which was enough for the Seagulls to beat Erik ten Hag's side despite a scrappy Alexis Mac Allister own goal.
On the same talkSPORT panel, Foster revealed that he didn't expect United to win the match and stated:
“Manchester United in general are vulnerable. I watched the game on Saturday and I predicted before the game that Manchester United would lose the game.”
Ten Hag's troops will now look to bounce back when they visit Brentford in their second Premier League encounter on August 13.
