Slotted in
Man Utd 0 Liverpool 3: Erik ten Hag humiliated by Dutch counterpart Arne Slot as Reds give finishing masterclass
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ERIK TEN HAG is convinced he will get his message across eventually, but is it all double Dutch.
There are enough of them from Holland in the coaching staff and on the pitch.
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But the only man orchestrating a beautiful game from the Netherlands here at Old Trafford was his opposite number Arne Slot.
This was a humiliation for Manchester United, a masterclass in ruthless efficiency from Liverpool.
Ten Hag said before the game that Slot had inherited a team already up and running, and his task had, therefore, been much easier than his own.
Yet in three games you can already see how he has stamped his character on the team.
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While Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football was all thrills and spills this is a much more controlled style that has now brought three wins from three with seven goals scored and non conceded.
Luis Diaz got two of them in the first half assisted both times by Mohammed Salah.
What a game Salah had. The Egyptian would get on the scoresheet himself with a second-half strike taking his record tally in this fixture to 15.
It could have been more, United were woeful.
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Man Utd player ratings vs Liverpool
MANCHESTER UNITED had a horror show against Liverpool as they lost 3-0.
Casemiro was so bad he was taken off at half-time.
But were there any positive performances at Old Trafford?
Amadou Onana - 5
Nothing he could do about any of Liverpool's goals and made a few saves to prevent the scoreline from getting worse.
Noussair Mazraoui - 5
Came close to scoring in the first half and looked solid enough against Diaz although he did push up too high before Liverpool's opener.
Matthijs de Ligt - 4
Left Diaz and Domink Szobozslai in acres of space for the opening goal but was left in a tricky spot thanks to Casemiro's error.
Booked for a shocking late tackle on Diaz.
Lisandro Martinez - 3
Lost Diaz for the second goal which meant the Colombian was able to score unmarked from the penalty spot.
Also guilty of giving away the ball too easily and was not tight enough with his marking.
Diogo Dalot - 4
Was caught out pushing up too quickly for the first goal and did not do enough to stop Mo Salah's cross in the build-up to Liverpool's second.
Looked dangerous in attack at times but too infrequently as he had plenty of defensive work to do since Rashford did not track Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Casemiro - 2
A horror show in the first half as he gave the ball away in the lead up to both of Liverpool's goals.
He was caught on the ball for the second after a shocking misplaced pass left his defence vulnerable for the opening goal. Hooked at half-time.
Kobbie Mainoo - 4
Fell victim to the Casemiro curse as he was shrugged off the ball in a terrible position, allowing Liverpool to add a third with ease.
Bruno Fernandes - 5
Was United's most creative spark but that is not saying much. Tried to get his side going in the first half but looked short of ideas and inspiration after the break.
Alejandro Garnacho - 4
Still appears to be a little rusty and is yet to hit the heights he reached last season.
Marcus Rashford - 3
Nothing came off for the out-of-sorts forward who must be running out of chances before he is dropped.
Joshua Zirkzee - 4
Quiet up-front and had little influence on the wing as well, but missed a clear-cut chance with his head and should have turned in Rashford's cross which he met at the far post.
Subs
Tom Collyer (for Casemiro, HT) - 5
A difficult game for the youngster to make his Premier League debut but he put himself about and won a few tackles.
Harry Maguire (for De Ligt, 69mins) - 5
Shored things up at the back as Liverpool took their foot off the pedal.
Amad (for Garnacho, 69mins) - 5
Provided a spark on the right and looked more lively than Garnacho.
Christian Eriksen (for Zirkzee, 86mins) - N/A
Not on long enough to make an impact.
This was as bad as anything we saw in the league last season as the team stumbled to a record low Premier League position of eighth.
There are new players, new coaches, a new management structure and, it was thought, a new hope but it is the same United that has stumbled from season to season since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
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The odd piece of silverware offers brief glimpses of what can be, and Ten Hag has two of them, but there are too many humbling days like these.
It was an absolutely shocking first period for United as Liverpool played the ball through them at will.
The Red Devils by contrast were relying on hopeful breaks in which the last pass always fell short.
Only one shot on goal in that whole period.
Liverpool thought they were ahead after only six minutes with a slick move that warned of what was to come.
Ryan Gravenberch stormed diagonally across the Old Trafford surface unchallenged before feeding the ball out wide to Diaz.
His cross shot through the six yard box getting a flick from Salah on the way and Trent Alexander-Arnold was there at the far post to fire goalwards.
It looked for a moment that Diogo Dalot had blocked it but his clearance was from behind the line and Liverpool celebrated.
While Alex-Arnold was onside, Salah had not been when he made the flick and the goal was cancelled out for offside.
The cheer that greeted the decision was the high spot for United fans.
That and a crunching tackle from Lisandro Martinez on Dominik Szoboszlai which earned him a booking.
That told you everything about what United were offering.
Liverpool meanwhile had their fans chanting in delight throughout a thoroughly one-sided opening period.
It was personal disaster for Casemiro who was at fault for both Liverpool goals before the break.
He looks leaner and fitter than this time last season but he just gives the ball away too much, or has it taken of him.
He did both here and it was no surprise when he was hooked at the break to allow Toby Collyer to make his Premier League debut at the age of 20.
The home fans were more than delighted about that change after what they had witnessed from the five-time Champions League winner. Really? Five times, him?
First in the 35th minute the Brazilian’s loose pass was picked up by Gravenberch who fed Salah and his chipped cross was met by a thumping header from Diaz at the far post.
Slot snubbed Spurs, hates defending and has a PASS named after him
By Dan King
LIVERPOOL'S new manager Arne Slot was a good enough player to have a type of pass named after him.
But it is as a manager that the Feyenoord head coach is really making his mark.
Like another bald Dutchman, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, Slot earned his stripes bossing smaller sides before being given a chance at one of the Netherlands' big three.
But the question Liverpool are pondering is whether Slot would make a better fist of running one of the biggest clubs in the world than Ten Hag so far has at Old Trafford.
Slot, 45, was certainly easier on the eye as a player than centre back Ten Hag.
“The Arne Slot Ball” was something he perfected as a silky No 10 - a back-to-goal, first-time, 180-degree spin and flick behind the defensive line for a winger to run on to deep in the opposition half.
Click here to read all about the incoming Liverpool boss.
The same combination brought about the second as this time Casemiro was too easily dispossessed 30 yards out by Diaz.
The ball ran loose, Alexis Mac Allister picked it up and gave it back to Diaz to spread wide for Salah to return with the outside of his boot.
What a cross it was and what a first time finish from the Colombian international fizzing a curling shot into the bottom right hand corner.
When not long before half time new signing Matthijs de Ligt just smashed the ball aimlessly forward the boss began to ring out from the Red Devils faithful.
The frustration continued in the second-half which began with at least a shot from new striker Joshua Zikrzee which was well saved by Alison.
United’s heads would drop when Liverpool extended their lead in the 56th minute.
Again the home side contributed to their own downfall when this time Kobbie Mainoo was too easily nudged off the ball just over half way by Mac Allister.
Give them a slight opening and this Liverpool just pounce.
Mac Allister fed Szoboszlai who helped it into the path of Salah for an exquisite first time finish.
He nearly had another moments later with a shot to the far corner which was deflected just wide.
‘Liverpool, Liverpool taking the p***’ was the chant from the away end and it was hard to argue.
The crowd were starting to get on Rashford’s back before he produced a cross that Zirkzee headed goalwards, Alisson again denying him.
When Ten Hag subbed Alejandro Garnacho for Amad Diallo on 69 minutes it would then be the boss getting it in the neck.
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By the final whistle the ground was half-empty.
In one corner the Liverpool fans just kept on singing.
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