MANCHESTER, England — Arne Slot prolonged his 100% profitable begin as Liverpool supervisor with a 3-0 victory towards Manchester United at Outdated Trafford on Sunday, placing supervisor Erik ten Hag underneath renewed strain on the membership.
Two first-half objectives from Luis Díaz — Trent Alexander-Arnold additionally had a first-half purpose dominated out for offside by VAR — and a second-half purpose from Mohamed Salah sealed a simple win for Liverpool, who moved to joint high of the Premier League alongside Manchester Metropolis on 9 factors. United’s defeat was their second in three league video games this season, and sees Ten Hag’s aspect go into the worldwide break with query marks over their capability to problem for Champions League qualification after spending greater than £180 million on new gamers over the summer season.
Ten Hag humiliated by Slot
Ten Hag, who’s now coming into his third season as Manchester United supervisor, was humiliated by Slot, who was serving simply his third recreation as Liverpool boss. The buildup to this recreation was dominated by the story of the 2 Dutch coaches who’ve made the transition from the Eredivisie to take cost of the Premier League’s two greatest golf equipment, nevertheless it was Slot who appeared extra like a supervisor who has been in cost for years, moderately than Ten Hag.
Final season’s FA Cup win towards Manchester Metropolis at Wembley stored Ten Hag in a job at Outdated Trafford, however the entire points that threatened his place final yr resurfaced within the defeat towards Liverpool.
For too lengthy underneath Ten Hag, United have been overrun in midfield, have lacked risk up entrance and likewise struggled with their full-backs. A few of that may be put right down to personnel, however the gamers have modified over time and the issues haven’t gone away.
Casemiro lacks the mobility to carry out at Premier League stage, however Bruno Fernandes performs to date ahead that it leaves large gaps within the centre of the pitch. Ten Hag has had loads of time to right that flaw, however he hasn’t, and it’s why Liverpool dominated the central third of the pitch.
Up entrance, Ten Hag persevered with the out-of-form Marcus Rashford, who has but to attain this season. Summer time signing Joshua Zirkzee additionally appears nicely wanting match health and velocity of thought, and Ten Hag’s substitutions — he left Rashford on for the total 90 minutes however withdrew the spectacular Alejandro Garnacho — invite additional scrutiny.
Ten Hag mentioned final week that Slot inherited a greater crew at Liverpool than he picked up at United, however Ten Hag has now had loads of time to make a distinction. This efficiency was a worrying one for the previous Ajax coach as a result of it appeared like a case of recent season, standard issues. — Mark Ogden
Casemiro’s disastrous 45 minutes
Casemiro has two years left on his contract at Outdated Trafford, however this may increasingly go down because the day his Manchester United profession ended.
As the primary half drew to a detailed — Liverpool main 2-0 — the Brazilian humped a hopeful ball ahead to no one specifically. There have been loud groans within the stands, and Garnacho, the closest United participant to it, threw out his arms in frustration.
It was the final act of a really dreadful efficiency with Ten Hag deciding on the break that Casemiro could not be allowed to proceed. In his place, 20-year-old Toby Collyer was thrown on for his first aggressive look. Actually, Ten Hag needed to make use of Manuel Ugarte, the £50 million signing from Paris Saint-Germain who was watching from the administrators’ field.
Ugarte, the fiery defensive midfielder, was offered on the pitch earlier than kickoff however wasn’t registered in time to play. After Casemiro’s horror present, it is in all probability secure to say he’ll be concerned when United play subsequent towards Southampton after the worldwide break.
In simply 45 minutes, Casemiro managed to lose possession 13 instances and make two errors immediately resulting in objectives. First, he gifted the ball to Ryan Gravenberch in midfield within the build-up to Díaz’s first purpose. Then, he was dispossessed on the sting of his personal penalty space moments earlier than Díaz swept in Salah’s cross for No. 2. In between, there was mistake after mistake and one throw-in that bounced off his shin and again out of play.
It was a efficiency that can stay lengthy within the reminiscence — for all of the incorrect causes. — Rob Dawson
Salah haunts United once more
Salah has now scored in his previous 5 Premier League video games for Liverpool at Outdated Trafford. No different participant within the Premier League period has scored so recurrently towards Manchester United on their house turf.
It wasn’t simply Salah’s second-half purpose that marked his efficiency for Liverpool, although. He additionally created the primary purpose for Díaz and was near scoring a second inside a minute of constructing it 3-0.
The 32-year-old mentioned after the sport that this shall be his final season at Liverpool along with his contract on account of expire in the summertime. Loads can occur between now and Might, so it might be silly to low cost the prospect of Liverpool and Salah thrashing out a brand new contract.
If he does depart Anfield, although, the sense of reduction at United shall be nearly as massive as the sensation of loss at Liverpool.
The previous Chelsea and AS Roma ahead has made himself a Liverpool legend throughout his seven years on the membership and can go down as one of many biggest Premier League forwards, corresponding to the likes of Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona, Didier Drogba and Erling Haaland. — Ogden
Liverpool’s midfield purrs, United’s porous
As dangerous as Casemiro was, he might be forgiven for wanting enviously on the slick manner Liverpool’s midfield operated.
Each groups began with three males in midfield: Casemiro, Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo for United, and Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool. The place Slot’s gamers appeared like cogs in a well-oiled machine, although, the purple shirts of United resembled crisp packets blowing aimlessly within the wind.
Gravenberch was wonderful, profitable 100% of his tackles and recovering the ball six instances. He was additionally allowed to roam ahead, and when he did, Mac Allister took up place in entrance of the again 4. When Mac Allister went ahead, Gravenberch dropped in.
Too many instances Casemiro was caught upfield and appeared round to see that Mainoo and Fernandes had adopted him ahead. One cross from Virgil van Dijk after simply six minutes took out most of United’s midfield, and so they had been lucky that Alexander-Arnold’s purpose was dominated out due to offside.
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Nicol: Manchester United’s issues a lot deeper than Casemiro
Steve Nicol says Casemiro cannot take all of the blame for Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
On one other day, Mainoo might need been despatched off earlier than half-time after flying into two challenges as he tried desperately to cowl the gaping holes in the midst of the pitch.
At one level Sir Jim Ratcliffe had his head in his fingers, and the fear for United’s new co-owner is that Slot has his midfield purring after simply three video games whereas the structural points in Ten Hag’s crew have been evident for greater than 18 months. Oh, and Slot did not even get the midfielder he needed in the summertime as a result of Martín Zubimendi determined to remain at Actual Sociedad. — Dawson
New United regime look glum, Liverpool run riot
There have been massive adjustments at United in current months with Ratcliffe’s INEOS group taking cost of soccer operations from the Glazer household, the membership’s majority house owners. Ratcliffe has employed Omar Berrada as CEO, Dan Ashworth as director of soccer and Jason Wilcox as technical director, and all 4 males had been within the administrators’ field as Liverpool tore United aside.
Berrada has arrived from Manchester Metropolis with a repute for wanting fast outcomes and a transparent signal of progress, whereas Ashworth and Wilcox have spent their first summer season being busy within the switch market, signing and offloading a number of gamers. United had been so dangerous towards Liverpool, although, that they are going to be questioning how lengthy it should take for the scenario to show round for the higher.
Ten Hag will not be in any hazard simply but, but when United proceed to wrestle when the October worldwide break comes round, the provision of managers similar to Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel will give the brand new bosses choices in the event that they resolve to make a change. — Ogden
Liverpool’s daring 4-2-4 succeeds, however will it work towards the perfect?
Slot went for a daring 4-2-4 formation, with Gravenberch and Mac Allister overlaying the central third of the pitch for Liverpool. Each gamers impressed and dominated their space of the pitch, however their opponents had been in disarray in midfield. At instances, Liverpool had the midfield to themselves.
The formation labored towards United, however it’s unlikely that Slot can, or will, deploy the identical recreation plan towards opponents similar to Manchester Metropolis or Arsenal. Slot was rewarded for being daring towards United, however Metropolis and Arsenal will provide a a lot larger risk in all areas of the pitch, so anticipate a extra stable Liverpool midfield in these video games. — Ogden