Manchester United were soundly beaten 3-0 at Old Trafford as Arne Slot continued his perfect start as Liverpool head coach.
United counterpart Erik ten Hag fielded new signings Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt from what has been seen as an impressive summer transfer window, but United were two down by half-time, with Casemiro at fault for Liverpool’s goals. The 32-year-old midfielder was substituted at the break. Another new signing, Manuel Ugarte, was presented to the crowd before the game, but is he the best option to replace the Brazilian?
Liverpool, who had a much quieter summer in terms of incomings, gave their new boss the dream result as the new-found clinical finishing of Luis Diaz and the brilliance of Mohamed Salah helped Slot’s side run out comfortable winners. Even their No 6 issue seems less of a problem now, as Ryan Gravenberch impressed in midfield. Slot is now the first Liverpool manager/head coach to oversee three clean sheets in his opening three league games in charge in the English top flight.
Andy Jones, Mark Critchley and Mark Carey analyse the action from Old Trafford.
How should Ten Hag solve the Casemiro question?
On commentary for Sky Sports, the match’s UK broadcaster, former United defender Gary Neville remarked that neither of Casemiro’s errors were of the kind you expect, particularly the reckless loss of possession that led to Liverpool’s first goal.
But Casemiro is often surprisingly ambitious on the ball, attempting the types of passes that only some of the world’s best deeper-lying playmakers can consistently pull off. The 32-year-old’s pass completion rate last season was among the bottom half of Premier League midfielders. He ended the first half today having misplaced 10 of his 37 passes.
Sometimes that willingness to take risks is necessary but in a side with Bruno Fernandes playing plenty of low-percentage balls, it helps if your holding midfielder is a little more secure. Does new signing Ugarte solve this? Yes and no. United’s €50million (£42.1m/$55.3m) buy from Paris Saint-Germain, nine years Casemiro’s junior, is a much more conservative player generally in possession.
Manuel Ugarte was presented to fans before the game (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
He is not as susceptible under pressure and will cover more of the wide open spaces that United’s approach under Ten Hag leaves.
But as demeaning as Casemiro’s half-time substitution was, this will hardly be his last appearance for the club. After failing to generate transfer interest in him this summer, one of United’s highest earners will still play a key part for them during a long and hard campaign, even if the intensity of elite-level football increasingly appears beyond him.
Mark Critchley
Is Diaz becoming more clinical?
There was a level of calmness and composure in Diaz’s two finishes that have not always been prominent previously in the 27-year-old’s game.
Question marks have always hung over the Colombia international’s goal and assist output, never more so than last season following high-profile misses in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City at Anfield. Overall, Diaz underperformed his personal expected goals (xG) figure by three goals last season.
Under new head coach Slot, the pressure heading into the campaign was on Diaz to improve his contributions in front of goal this season.
With Dominik Szoboszlai every bit as eager as him to head Salah’s back-post cross in, Diaz could have been disturbed by his team-mate’s presence but he directed the ball into the net.
The second finish, caressing Salah’s pass into the bottom corner was a very un-Diaz-like finish — where power and the spectacular are usually more likely to be on the menu. There was precision and no over-complication here. He instinctively picked the right finish. Diaz has now scored more Premier League goals against United than any other opponent (four).
Even last weekend’s opening goal against Brentford was not laced with any overthinking or trying to be too clever or precise. It was a ruthless strike to end a swift counter-attack, rifling a shot past Mark Flekken without a second thought.
This season, from a small sample size, Diaz has three goals from an xG of just 1.2. Getting into regular goalscoring positions too is helping, and now consistency is the key.
Did Ten Hag make wrong choices in attacking positions?
Changes were always expected from Ten Hag and, after lively contributions off the bench in the first two games of the season, Alejandro Garnacho’s return to the starting line-up was overdue. That wasn’t a surprise. That it came at the expense of Amad, United’s goalscorer in the 2-1 loss against Brighton last weekend and named the club’s player of the month for August just yesterday, perhaps was. Especially as it was a choice between him or Marcus Rashford.
Ten Hag showed faith in Rashford not simply because of his seven career goals in this fixture — his best record against any opponent bar Leicester City — but because he has been happy with his performances in this early part of this season. Few players come under as harsh a spotlight as the 26-year-old, and Ten Hag forcefully dismissed criticism of Rashford’s display at Brighton last weekend as “stupid”.
United have two of their opening three games (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Rashford repaid him with some bright combinations down the left with Diogo Dalot in the game’s opening stages. After the break, Rashford’s crosses twice set up presentable chances for Zirkzee. And yet at the same time, this was the third consecutive appearance for Rashford without a shot, let alone a goal. It is now 12 games since he last scored — in March’s FA Cup quarter-final between these two sides.
Until that drought ends, fairly or unfairly, Rashford’s performances will continue to come under the microscope.
When Garnacho was substituted on 69 minutes, there were jeers around Old Trafford.
It was not hard to tell who they wanted replaced instead.
Mark Critchley
Why were Gravenberch’s runs so important?
Discussions around Liverpool’s midfield have dominated the summer, but Slot has fielded the same trio in each of the opening three games — with one player continuing to stand out.
Gravenberch had an indifferent 2023-24 debut season at Liverpool but the Netherlands international looks ready to now stake his claim as an integral member of the starting XI. Strong performances against Ipswich and Brentford were encouraging, but a dominant display at Old Trafford shows countryman Slot can truly trust him.
The 22-year-old has looked comfortable in a deeper role and showcased his key attributes against United, driving forward into space and committing opposition bodies towards him. His wiry frame and long limbs allow him to receive the ball in tight spaces and fend off pressure from behind — retaining possession brilliantly as he shrugs off those who dare try to steal the ball from him.
Amid the chaos of a retreating United defence, there was calm in Gravenberch’s mind as he punished Ten Hag’s side by retrieving possession, stretching his legs, and releasing Salah ahead of him for Liverpool’s opening two goals.
As you can see below, sharp bursts over the halfway line and driving runs towards the final third have been a regular feature from him in the early stages of the season.
Having adapted to the Premier League over the past year following his move from Bayern Munich, this could be Gravenberch’s breakout season in a Liverpool shirt.
Judging by these early performances, he looks set on ensuring that it will be.
Mark Carey
Are Liverpool building a stronger defence?
In Liverpool’s final 18 Premier League games last season, they kept only three clean sheets. It has taken them three matches in this one to register that many.
One of Liverpool’s issues during that 2023-24 campaign was their tendency to concede, usually the first goal in games. It was one of the areas that you felt there was an obvious and needed improvement Slot could make when he arrived to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool have not been perfect defensively in these opening three games, and there remains an openness which is an accepted consequence of playing with a midfield group more suited to being in possession than acting as defensive destroyers.
Alisson made a good save from Zirkzee in the second half (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
However, there is an overarching dominance and assuredness in their defending, with the home side’s big chances today only coming once Slot’s side led 3-0.
They still needed Alisson to come to the rescue to deny Zirkzee from point-blank range on the hour mark. The 32-year-old continues to remind everyone of his importance, and that he remains one of the top goalkeepers in the world, even with Liverpool starting their succession planning by signing the man they hope will be his eventual replacement, Giorgi Mamardashvili, this summer.
It is all smiles from a defensive point of view, including for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was in a much better mood when he was replaced after 76 minutes with Conor Bradley than he was when Slot made the same change three minutes earlier in the Brentford game last week.
Andy Jones
What did Erik ten Hag say?
After the match, when asked about substituting Casemiro for Toby Collyer at half-time, Ten Hag told a press conference: “I met him after the game in the dressing room so he didn’t leave at half time.
“When we are 2-0 down against Liverpool with their qualities we had to take risk as we had to bounce back. We needed a midfielder who could cover ground therefore we brought Toby Collyer on the pitch.
“So I think in football, everyone has to take responsibility and I’m sure Casemiro is a great character and he has won everything in his career that you can imagine. I’m sure he will keep contributing to our team and Casemiro is always winning so he will be there.”
What did Arne Slot say?
Slot told Sky Sports: “United started really aggressive and we had to find ourselves in that period but if you go to Old Trafford you know there will be tough moments. We got ourselves through that.
“What I liked is that after we scored a great goal that was disallowed, we kept on playing in the same way as we did before.
“In the end, we scored some nice goals and we needed Alisson in the second half to make some important saves but it was a deserved win.”
What next for Manchester United?
Saturday, September 14: Southampton (A), Premier League, 12.30pm BST, 7.30am ET
What next for Liverpool?
Saturday, September 14: Nottingham Forest (H), Premier League, 3pm BST, 10am ET
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(Top photo: Getty Images)
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