First-year Liverpool manager Arne Slot will get his first big test on Sunday when he takes his side to visit Dutch compatriot Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.
Liverpool (2-0-0, 6 points) have earned comfortable 2-0 wins away to newly promoted Ipswich Town and home to Brentford in their first competitive fixtures under Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
But the 45-year-old — who managed Feyenoord against ten Hag’s Ajax in his previous role — understands the significance is far greater whenever the two most decorated sides in English football history meet.
“Some people tell me a few things about this fixture, but when you work at LFC, everyone knows how important this game vs. United is,” Slot said. “It’s similar to how important Ajax vs. Feyenoord is, but I know the importance of Liverpool vs. United.”
However, the roles are somewhat inverted from his Eredivisie experience. Back then, it was ten Hag’s Ajax winning three consecutive league titles, while Slot had to wait for his first league trophy until after ten Hag had departed for England.
But in the Premier League, the expectations are higher for Liverpool, who are the last team other than Manchester City to win the league (2019-20) and are coming off a third-place finish last season.
“It’s clear they are in a different phase of the life cycle,” ten Hag said. “They have a team that’s mature, they have players already who are long together, playing long together, and who are very experienced. We have much more mix. We have to build a new team.”
United’s summer so far has involved far more departures than arrivals after ten Hag’s group followed a fourth-place finish in his second season with a disappointing eighth-place showing last campaign. And after a season-opening 1-0 home win over Fulham, Man U (1-1-0, 3 points) was deservedly beaten 2-1 at Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend.
But ten Hag has had a solid record against Liverpool, including taking four points from six last season. The most recent result, a 2-2 home draw, helped derail the Merseysiders’ league title bid.
Liverpool have completed a move for Italian forward Federico Chiesa in time for Sunday’s clash, though Slot said his debut is more likely to come after the September international window. That shouldn’t be a major issue for the Reds, with Mo Salah already in form with two league goals.
Ten Hag continues to be without the injured Rasmus Hojlund, Man U’s joint top scorer in the league last season, who sustained a hamstring issue during the preseason.
–Field Level Media
