The Liverpool boss spoke in the aftermath of an 11th Premier League loss of the season, in which Liverpool was second best for long spells at Old Trafford
18:30, 03 May 2026
Arne Slot reacts on the Old Trafford sidelines beside Michael Carrick
Arne Slot spoke to the media after Liverpool lost 3-2 to Manchester United
Arne Slot has admitted his side's inability to deal with Manchester United's strengths cost them a share of the points at Old Trafford in Sunday.
Liverpool fell to an 11th Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday as the Reds were beaten 3-2 by Manchester United.
The Reds had trailed 2-0 at the break following a woeful first 45 minutes at Old Trafford in which they were second best. But goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo saw Liverpool get back on level terms before Kobbie Mainoo found the match-winning strike with an excellent side-foot finish from the edge of the box.
Dominik Szoboszlai said post-match that United's capacity to score goals from set-pieces and in transition had been earmarked as a strength and was disappointed to concede by both methods inside the opening 14 minutes.
That was a view shared by Arne Slot. "We weren’t able to control their strengths," he conceded after defeat at Old Trafford.
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"We were aware that they had strengths, two of them are set-pieces and the counter attack. The first goal we concede is a set-piece and the second one you have to know where to lose the ball against United, who are really strong and aggressive in a low block and you play the ball into the middle where is Casemiro and Mainoo and their center-backs. If you lose it they have so many fast players, and Bruno Fernandes to hurt you in transition. That is exactly what happened.
"We were 2-0 down and came back in the second half to 2-2, but as always we were to switch off in one moment and conceded the goal.
"We had a lot of ball possession," he added. "One of their strengths is also defending in a low block and [laucning] a counter attack. That’s why in the seocnd half I tried to play a bit more on both sides with the wingers. We went, in the first half, a little bit too much for the middle and they counter you."