Arne Slot
Three ways Arne Slot can silence Old Trafford on Sunday
Liverpool move to Old Trafford on Sunday, backed by a three-game winning streak, fresh confidence, and a real chance to shake up the top-four race. Manchester United currently sit third, three points clear of Liverpool, and need only two more points to nail down Champions League football.
That gives this fixture plenty of bite. Arne Slot, however, has his own headaches to deal with, as Mohamed Salah is sidelined with a hamstring injury from the Crystal Palace game, meaning the Dutchman has to make his tactics work without his main goal threat. Here are three tweaks that could swing the game in Liverpool’s favour.
Using a high line to shut down United’s midfield from the start
Bruno Fernandes has racked up 19 Premier League assists this season and is miles ahead of the rest of the league in terms of chances created. Liverpool simply can’t let him dictate play. When Slot’s pressing game is on point, it chokes playmakers before they can get comfortable, so the Reds need to bring that heat from the very first whistle.
Liverpool’s press is designed to force teams out wide and create overloads to win the ball back in dangerous areas. Directing that energy specifically at Fernandes, with Gravenberch and Mac Allister sticking to him like glue, will cut off United’s supply line before their attack even gets moving.
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Giving Florian Wirtz a free role behind Isak
Wirtz should start in the number ten spot, with Gakpo and Szoboszlai filling out the attack around Alexander Isak. Even without Salah’s speed on the break, Slot shouldn’t be tempted to sit back. Instead, letting Wirtz drift between the lines to pick up second balls is Liverpool’s clearest path to goal.
Liverpool have generated 78.8% of their expected goals from open play this season, more than anyone else in the league, and that’s exactly the kind of fluid, mobile setup where Wirtz does his best work.
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Sticking to a tight defensive shape instead of overthinking it like the PSG game
Slot’s biggest recent mistake was abandoning his core philosophy. In Paris, Liverpool lined up with a back five, failed to get a single shot on target, and looked completely lost. At Old Trafford, the solution isn’t to park the bus; it’s to stick with a compact, disciplined 4-2-3-1 that reflects the identity Slot has established.
Manchester United have taken six wins from their last seven at home, so Liverpool can’t afford to just sit off them and invite pressure. Staying organised, keeping the intensity up, and trusting the system is the Reds’ best bet for leaving Manchester with all three points.