Slot's Liverpool humiliate Ten Hag and Manchester United

MANCHESTER, England — Arne Slot prolonged his 100% successful begin as Liverpool supervisor with a 3-0 victory in opposition to Manchester United at Previous Trafford on Sunday, placing supervisor Erik ten Hag below renewed stress on the membership.

Two first-half targets from Luis Díaz — Trent Alexander-Arnold additionally had a first-half objective dominated out for offside by VAR — and a second-half objective from Mohamed Salah sealed a simple win for Liverpool, who moved to joint high of the Premier League alongside Manchester City on 9 factors. United’s defeat was their second in three league video games this season, nevertheless, and sees Ten Hag’s aspect go into the worldwide break with query marks over their potential to problem for Champions League qualification after spending greater than £180 million on new gamers over the summer time.

Ten Hag humiliated by Slot

Ten Hag is now getting into his third season as Manchester United supervisor, however he was humiliated by Slot in solely the latter’s third recreation as Liverpool boss. The build-up 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 largest golf equipment, nevertheless it was Slot’s Liverpool that appeared just like the supervisor had been in cost for years fairly than Ten Hag’s United.

Final season’s FA Cup win in opposition to Manchester Metropolis at Wembley stored Ten Hag in a job at Previous Trafford, however the entire points that threatened his place final 12 months resurfaced within the defeat in opposition to Liverpool.

For too lengthy below 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 all the way down to personnel, however the gamers have modified over time but the issues haven’t gone away.

Casemiro lacks the mobility to carry out at Premier League degree, however Bruno Fernandes performs to this point 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.

And up entrance, Ten Hag persevered with the out-of-form Marcus Rashford who has but to attain this season. Summer season signing Joshua Zirkzee additionally seems to be properly in need of 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 stated final week that Slot inherited a greater group 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 latest season, standard issues. — Mark Ogden

Casemiro’s disastrous 45 minutes

Casemiro has two years left on his contract at Previous Trafford, however this will likely go down because the day his Manchester United profession ended.

As the primary half drew to an in depth — Liverpool main 2-0 — the Brazilian humped a hopeful ball ahead to no person particularly. 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 wished 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 most likely protected to say he’ll be concerned when United play subsequent in opposition to Southampton after the worldwide break.

In simply 45 minutes, Casemiro managed to lose possession 13 instances and make two errors instantly resulting in targets. First, he gifted the ball to Ryan Gravenberch in midfield within the build-up to Díaz’s first objective. Then, he was dispossessed on the sting of his personal penalty space moments earlier than Díaz swept in Salah’s cross for quantity two. 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 flawed causes. — Rob Dawson

Salah haunts United once more

Salah has now scored in his previous 5 Premier League video games for Liverpool at Previous Trafford. No different participant within the Premier League period has scored so repeatedly in opposition to Manchester United on their house turf.

It wasn’t simply Salah’s second-half objective that marked his efficiency for Liverpool, although. He additionally created the primary objective for Díaz and went near scoring a second inside a minute of creating it 3-0 to Slot’s group.

The 32-year-old stated after the sport that this will likely be his final season at Liverpool along with his contract attributable to expire in the summertime. A lot can occur between now and subsequent Could, so it will be silly to low cost the prospect of Liverpool and Salah thrashing out a brand new contract.

If he does go away Anfield, although, the sense of reduction at United will likely be nearly as large 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, akin to the likes of Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona, Didier Drogba and Erling Haaland. — Ogden

Liverpool’s midfield purrs, United’s porous

As unhealthy as Casemiro was, he can be forgiven for trying 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 crimson shirts of United resembled crisp packets blowing aimlessly within the wind.

Gravenberch was glorious, successful 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 go from Virgil van Dijk after simply six minutes took out most of United’s midfield and so they have been lucky that Alexander-Arnold’s objective 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 course of the pitch.

At one level Sir Jim Ratcliffe had his head in his arms, 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 group have been evident for greater than 18 months. Oh, and Slot did not even get the midfielder he wished in the summertime as a result of Martín Zubimendi determined to remain at Real Sociedad. — Dawson

New United regime look glum, Liverpool run riot

There have been large 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 have been within the administrators’ field as Liverpool tore United aside.

Berrada has arrived from Manchester Metropolis with a fame for wanting fast outcomes and a transparent signal of progress, whereas Ashworth and Wilcox have spent their first summer time being busy within the switch market, signing and offloading a number of gamers. United have been so unhealthy in opposition to Liverpool, although, that they are going to be questioning how lengthy it’s going to 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 akin to Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel will give the brand new bosses choices in the event that they determine to make a change. — Ogden

Liverpool’s daring 4-2-4 succeeds, however will it work in opposition to the very best?

Slot went for a daring 4-2-4 formation, with Gravenberch and Mac Allister masking the central third of the pitch for Liverpool. Each gamers impressed and dominated their space of the pitch, however their opponents have been in disarray in midfield. At instances, Liverpool had the midfield to themselves.

The formation labored in opposition to United, however it’s unlikely that Slot can, or will, deploy the identical gameplan in opposition to opponents akin to Manchester Metropolis or Arsenal. Slot was rewarded for being daring in opposition to United, however Metropolis and Arsenal will provide a a lot larger risk in all areas of the pitch, so count on a extra stable Liverpool midfield in these video games. — Ogden