NEW DELHI:
Arne Slot
successfully managed his first major test as
Liverpool
manager with a resounding 3-0 victory against Manchester United on Sunday, with
Luis Diaz
scoring twice and Mohamed Salah adding a third.
Slot, who replaced Jurgen Klopp, has now maintained a perfect record with three wins in the Premier League, placing Liverpool alongside Manchester City at the top of the table.
United, on the other hand, faced their second consecutive defeat, putting United's manager, Erik ten Hag, under early-season pressure. Last season, Ten Hag oversaw United's worst-ever Premier League finish, landing in eighth place.
An FA Cup final victory over Manchester City briefly revived his position, accompanied by a substantial £200 million investment in new signings.
Despite the financial backing, United's weaknesses from last season were evident against Liverpool. Casemiro, in particular, struggled, being blamed for both of Diaz's goals and subsequently substituted at half-time for the younger Toby Collyer.
Manuel Ugarte, a £42 million signing, was introduced to the crowd before the match. The club now hopes the Uruguayan can strengthen their midfield. In contrast, Liverpool made an effective internal adjustment by moving Ryan Gravenberch into a defensive midfield role, a decision by Slot that has already yielded positive results.
Klopp's tenure saw Liverpool dominate United yet struggle to secure victories at Old Trafford, managing just two wins out of 11 away games. Notable past matches include last season's narrow FA Cup quarter-final loss and a league draw that hindered Liverpool's title bid.
However, on Sunday, Liverpool's performance was clinical, nearly matching their record 5-0 win at Old Trafford in 2021. Liverpool displayed early dominance, though an initial goal by Trent Alexander-Arnold was disallowed due to Mohamed Salah being offside.
Casemiro's early season form had shown promise, contrasting with his struggles last season. Nevertheless, his performance on Sunday suggested his peak might be behind him. A poorly executed pass by Casemiro led to Liverpool's first goal, with Gravenberch intercepting and passing to Salah, who set up Diaz.
Shortly after, Alisson Becker made a critical save against Noussair Mazraoui. Yet United's defense crumbled after Liverpool's second goal just before half-time. Diaz capitalized on another Casemiro mistake and scored from Salah's cross.
Salah extended Liverpool's lead on 56 minutes, scoring his 15th goal in 16 matches against Manchester United. His goal also continued his streak of scoring in each of his last seven appearances at Old Trafford.
Salah could have increased his tally but missed a close-range opportunity while his teammates awaited a pass. Alisson further secured Liverpool's clean sheet with a fine save from Joshua Zirkzee's shot.
Arsenal has often been viewed as Manchester City's main challenger for the Premier League title after four consecutive wins by Pep Guardiola's team. Yet, Liverpool’s early-season performance under Slot suggests they remain serious contenders, even in the absence of Klopp.
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