Eric Ten Hag is under pressure again at Manchester United immediately after Liverpool’s penalty against Arne Sloter

Twenty minutes before kick-off at Old Trafford, Liverpool manager Arne Sloter was quietly watching the warm-up match. He had a summer jacket draped over his left arm on a late Sunday afternoon. His first big test as Liverpool manager awaited. Manchester United away, against a strong opponent. Sloter lost his only game here in 2019, a 4-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar. Now he has a “much better team,” he said lightly on Friday.

He walked onto the pitch behind star player Mo Salah shortly before kick-off. Captain Virgil van Dijk further snapped his fingers and shouted to cheer his teammates up in the tunnel. At Manchester United, striker Joshua Zirkzee began shaking his legs before his debut.

Club Songs Take Me Home United Road The song was played during one of the most intense matches in the history of the Premier League – Manchester United vs. Liverpool. Alex Ferguson, the 82-year-old former Manchester United manager, was ready. The match has been an absolute highlight in recent editions, with a 4-3 win in the FA Cup last season. As usual, current Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag arrived before the match, and Sloter was already waiting for him. The two trainers from Overijssel briefly shook hands.

Years of Turbulence

Their views differed widely. Ten Hag was allowed to stay after a turbulent year – an eighth-place finish, the Premier League’s worst ever. An FA Cup final win over supposedly superior Manchester City saved honours – and perhaps his place. The club hierarchy held discussions with other coaches but stuck with Ten Hag. His contract was even extended by a year in early July, until mid-2026.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth said the club had concluded that Ten Hag was the “best partner”. The most important technical football position at the club’s top level, led by co-owner Ineos, was filled this summer. The club is facing major reforms in the areas of scouting and transfer policy.

Ten Hag chose new assistants, including former Manchester United top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hacke from Go Ahead Eagles. An investment of more than 200 million euros, including Zirkzee and defenders Lenny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Nusser Mazraoui. The changes have rekindled Manchester United’s confidence, which was strengthened after a narrow win over Fulham in the first game.

Jurgen Klopp’s legacy

Sloter faces a completely different task at Liverpool FC. He must lead the transition after his successful and popular predecessor, Jurgen Klopp. Manchester United and Arsenal have previously shown how problematic succession to head coach Ferguson and Wenger can be. Arsenal took years to get back to the top, while Manchester United are still in transition eleven years after Ferguson left.

The question is how this will work out at Liverpool under Sloter, nine years into Klopp’s tenure. In the two months he has been in the job, he has tweaked his style of play slightly. Liverpool played more controlled football, trying to play under pressure through combination play, while under Klopp the game is more direct.

“They used every moment to get the ball behind or deep, which meant the game was sometimes open, especially in the final period with Jurgen,” Sloter told Sky Sports. “Sometimes I told them: make sure you assess the risks better. If you can put someone in front of the goalkeeper, by all means do it. If not, it’s also a good idea to keep possession.”

This more patient style of play was clearly visible against Manchester United. Due to the limited skills of midfielder Casemiro, Manchester United struggled to build up their attack, while Liverpool’s combination was smooth. Ryan Gravenberch played a key role in this regard. He broke out of the attacking midfield position at Ajax under Ten Hag and now returned to the defensive midfield position under Slot. Liverpool tried to sign Martin Zubimendy from Real Sociedad to obtain a “number 6”, but failed. Gravenberch then seized the opportunity.

There are problems with construction

United were being slaughtered in attack. After half an hour, Casemiro simply passed the ball to Gravenberch. He anticipated well, parried Salah away, and then passed the ball delicately to Colombian Luis Diaz, who headed it in (0-1). Sloter clenched his fist on the sidelines.

United’s squad building was already a problem last season. One explanation is that one of last summer’s top signings, midfielder Mason Mount, suffered a long-term injury and is now injured again. Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain for €50 million on Friday, has yet to be cleared to play.

The frustration was evident in defender Lisandro Martinez, who put unnecessary pressure on Dominik Szoboszlai. The anger of the Ten Witches was palpable. Shortly before half-time, the score was 0-2. Casemiro lost the ball again due to pressure from Diaz – who scored from a great pass from Salah. He made it 0-3 himself after Kobe Mainu lost the ball.

Shortly before the end of the game, Old Trafford was empty and Liverpool fans serenaded Sloter. The pressure on Ten Witch’s position will increase – just like last season. He shook Sloter’s hand and said something else. Ten Witch’s expression was tense, while Sloter was hugged by assistant Sipke Hulshof.

share





Email the Editor