has warned they will get ‘absolutely hammered’ by if they play like they did in their 3-2 victory over bottom-placed .
United survived a scare at Old Trafford on Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick earned the Red Devils a narrow win against a Norwich side who have amassed just 21 points this season.
Ralf Rangnick’s side looked to be coasting towards a routine victory when Ronaldo scored twice inside 32 minutes, but Kieran Dowell gave Norwich hope with a goal on the stroke of half-time.
Old Trafford was stunned when Canaries striker Teemu Pukki equalised seven minutes after the break, but Ronaldo saved United with a brilliant free-kick with 15 minutes remaining.
While United secured their 15th league win of the season and were able to make up ground on top-four rivals Tottenham and Arsenal – – Wright said the performance does not bode well for Rangnick’s side ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Anfield.
Liverpool will be looking to maintain the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City against rivals United, following their .
‘If he [Ronaldo] wasn’t at Manchester United they would be nowhere near where they are now,’ Wright told Premier League Productions after United’s 3-2 win.
‘That’s what you pay for and he’s delivered. He’s amazing, amazing.
‘We’re talking about a team at the bottom of the league [Norwich] who gave United two goals today, literally.
‘And they’re still able to open United up. If United play like that against Liverpool they’re going to get absolutely hammered.’
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves added: ‘United fans will know they can be so poor. It was too easy for Norwich at times, it was crazy.
‘The difference between teams like Man City and Liverpool and teams like United is everyone works, even the attacking players. You see the effort they put in for City and Liverpool.
‘United had six players out there at the front who took no part in the game defensively. They cannot play like that at Anfield.’
Rangnick also insisted his team would need to improve to trouble 2020 Premier League champions Liverpool on Tuesday and top-four chasing Arsenal next weekend.
‘If we want to get points out of those games we have to raise our level and play our best,’ the German interim manager said.
On United’s win, Rangnick added: ‘It was vital. The 2-0 lead should have made life easier but we didn’t defend well. David de Gea kept us in the game.
‘It was highly important we won the goal but the way we played was not good enough. It is a question of intensity and physicality.
‘Like against Tottenham, Ronaldo was very crucial. They weren’t easy goals, it was just outstanding.’
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