Arne Slot maintained his perfect start as Liverpool head coach as the Reds ran riot in a resounding 3-0 victory over rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Luis Diaz’s header handed the visitors the advantage 10 minutes before half-time, after Trent Alexander-Arnold had seen a potential early opener chalked off following a VAR review. Diaz then doubled his tally seven minutes later with a low finish into the bottom corner after being picked out by an intricate pass from Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian scored against United in the Premier League for the 12th time after the break, Liverpool punishing yet another mistake from the Red Devils' midfield to add some gloss to the scoreline. The triumph sees Liverpool join Manchester City as the only two sides with perfect records after three matches, while United enter the international break in 14th with three points.
Having seen Diogo Jota flash an effort wide of Andre Onana’s goal early on, Liverpool thought they had silenced the Old Trafford faithful in the sixth minute. A sweeping move saw Alexander-Arnold convert at the back post despite the best efforts of Diogo Dalot on the line, with the goal awarded on-field but overturned after a VAR review as Salah was found to have been offside in the build-up. However, Slot’s side would get their noses in front in the 35th minute as a poor pass from Casemiro was punished, Salah crossing for Diaz to nod home at the far post. The pair combined again to double the Reds’ advantage three minutes before the break, with Salah again the architect as his cute pass into the area was finished smartly by Diaz. Salah got his name on the scoresheet after 56 minutes, finishing into the bottom-right corner after Kobbie Mainoo was dispossessed in midfield, as things threatened to get ugly for United. The Red Devils avoided any further damage but were unable to pull a goal back, Joshua Zirkzee squandering their two best opportunities in the dying stages.
Much of the talk throughout Erik ten Hag’s time in the United dugout has centred on the Red Devils' lack of tactical identity, and their much-maligned midfield was ruthlessly exposed again by Liverpool. The opening exchanges saw Zirkzee and Bruno Fernandes attempt to press from the front. However, those behind them were not on the same page as Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were able to get Liverpool moving upfield with relative ease. Casemiro will once again come under the microscope after being involved in both of Diaz’s first-half goals, producing a poor pass in the build-up to the opener and losing possession all too easily prior to the second. His miserable outing came to a premature end at half-time, as he was hooked in favour of 20-year-old Toby Collyer. But fellow youngster Mainoo was culpable when Salah scored his 10th goal in nine appearances at the Theatre of Dreams, seeing his pocket pinched by Alexis Mac Allister, who got the Reds motoring upfield again. Upon Anthony Taylor’s final whistle, boos echoed around Old Trafford, with Ten Hag given plenty of food for thought during the international break.
Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford marked their sternest test under Slot to date, but the Dutchman passed it with flying colours. Perhaps unlike his United counterpart, Slot has already stamped a recognised style upon his group of players, with their expansive and dynamic football building on the foundations laid during Jurgen Klopp’s glittering nine-year stint at Anfield. An unusually quiet transfer window saw Liverpool miss out on a defensive midfielder that might have been the final piece of the puzzle, though Ryan Gravenberch’s recent showings have suggested he has the quality to fill that void for the rest of the season. Diaz and Salah were the notable standouts on Sunday, with the latter becoming only the second player (after Alan Shearer at Elland Road) to score 10 goals at an away ground in the Premier League. Liverpool’s recent domination of this age-old fixture looks set to continue under the guidance of their new head coach, and their early-season showings might cause concern elsewhere in Manchester, too.