11 November 2023 , 06:45
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When Ross Barkley takes to the field against Manchester United on Saturday, the Luton star will already know what it's like to send a United manager to the job centre.
Barkley was part of the Everton side which beat the Red Devils in April 2014 in what proved to be the final defeat suffered by David Moyes. It may have been a bittersweet moment for the Liverpool-born star, who was handed his professional debut by Moyes as a teenager.
Nearly a decade on, and after a tough time at Chelsea, Barkley is preparing to put another United boss to the sword off the back of what was arguably his best performance so far for Luton. Erik ten Hag is under pressure at Old Trafford after a Champions League humbling in Copenhagen, and defeat against the Premier League newcomers would be enough to dial that pressure up to 11.
Barkley was in the midst of a breakout season at Everton when Moyes' United came to town. While he wasn't among the goals in that game, he scored the first six goals of his Premier League career that season, including a fantastic long-range effort against champions Manchester City.
His first England call-up also arrived that season, while a place in England's World Cup squad was his reward at the end of the campaign. Several more impressive years followed, but his career was derailed by a hamstring injury in 2017 and a subsequent move to Chelsea which didn't go as planned.
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After his five-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge came to an end, he spent time in limbo, waiting for a new employer to take a chance. Luton have done just that and, after playing himself back up to speed, last weekend's draw with Liverpool was a reminder of what he can offer.
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Ross Barkley impressed for Luton against Liverpool (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)Luton might well have won against Liverpool, with the visitors only equalising right at the death, but they also might have lost. Jurgen Klopp's side missed some presentable chances, while the Hatters' defence and goalkeeper kept them in the game and ensured that - when Barkley was able to work his magic - it wasn't in vain.
The former Everton man led a rapid counter-attack after Luton cleared a Liverpool corner, but speed and haste are not the same thing. He calmly recognised how much time he had before sending a perfectly-timed pass into the path of Issa Kabore, who fed Tahith Chong to score a memorable opener.
"I thought Ross was excellent, Andros [Townsend] too," manager Rob Edwards said. "A lot of the counter-attacking moments came from Ross. He is able to get away and find the space. The goal was the best example of that."
Luton were moments from a famous win against Liverpool (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)While Luton are still waiting for a first home win of the season, they have shown some steel on their travels. A win at Everton was followed by a hard-earned point at Nottingham Forest, although they were helpless to keep Aston Villa at bay last time out.
The longer they can hold United at bay on Saturday, the more the hosts may begin to feel the pressure. The cracks have already begun to appear for Ten Hag, who has seen his team surrender at home against Brighton, Crystal Palace and Manchester City in the league and against Newcastle and Galatasaray in club competitions.
“It is difficult at the moment, obviously, and the mood is not the best because I think we fought so hard with ten men that even from then on it was playing against a team that plays really well on the ball, and as a part of that, many decisions went against us," United captain Bruno Fernandes said after his team's last defeat.
"Today was a tough day but I think the team effort was good. We tried. We could have done some things better, but it was difficult for us from thirty minutes on, playing with one player less."
The pressure will be on the hosts, who could well leave gaps for Luton to exploit on the break. When those moments present themselves, Barkley's experience and ball-carrying ability could be crucial.
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Manchester United's last permanent manager lost his job after a defeat to newly-promoted opponents, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer making way after a hammering by Watford. A similar outcome on Friday afternoon could be too much for Ten Hag to withstand.