Manchester United 0 Liverpool 3: tactical analysis

The comprehensive nature of this Liverpool victory was marked not only by the scoreboard. As the game played out, thousands of empty Old Trafford seats  were testament to what had become an inevitable outcome. An outcome that, three games into the 2024/25 Premier League season, put the visitors level on nine points with leaders Manchester City. For Manchester United it was already a second defeat, putting them in an uncomfortable 14th-place going into September’s international break.

Although it was only the third game in charge for new Liverpool boss Arne Slot, the performance of his team suggested otherwise. The Dutchman racked up the records on this late summer Sunday, becoming the first Liverpool manager to win his opening encounter with United since Bob Paisley in 1975 – and only the second to win his debut league visit to Old Trafford, after George Kay in 1936. He also now stands alone as the only Liverpool manager in 131 years to oversee clean sheets in each of his first three league games.

It could have been worse for Manchester United and Slot’s compatriot, Erik ten Hag, whose team were unbeaten in their three encounters with Liverpool last season. Here, Trent Alexander-Arnold had a goal disallowed for offside after six minutes, but there was to be no repeat of Liverpool’s wastefulness from their previous two visits to Old Trafford. Luis Díaz converted two Mohamed Salah passes before half-time to put the Reds in control. Ten Hag then substituted Casemiro at the interval, following errors by the Brazilian in the build-up to Liverpool’s goals, but it didn’t get much better in the second period.

Kobbie Mainoo was caught in possession by Alexis Mac Allister after the break, and Salah added the finishing touch to ruthlessly punish the flailing home side. Dominik Szoboszlai should have made it four, only to dally needlessly in front of a gaping goal. And while United forced Alisson into action to preserve his shutout, the final score was no less than Liverpool deserved.

How the managers saw it

“The first half an hour was okay,” said Ten Hag. “We made a mistake in defensive organisation for the disallowed goal, but we were in the game. It was equal, level, and then we had a great structure in building up, but then made a big error and, with the quality of Liverpool, they took benefit of that. They took their chances so well.”

“There were difficult moments for us,” said Slot. “United started really well and we conceded one or two corner-kicks in that moment. But we fought ourselves through those moments and then we got the disallowed goal, but there was no negative reaction at all, we just kept on playing afterwards. Everything was there, and maybe the one that was most important is that the work rate was incredible by all of them without the ball.”

Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches have analysed the key tactical points from the game…

Manchester United’s left side

Ten Hag’s team set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape and gained early momentum in the match by using their left side. There, Marcus Rashford was positive on the ball in the early stages. He was quickly supported by Diogo Dalot, who ran beyond Salah to try and overload Alexander-Arnold. Right-back Noussair Mazraoui narrowed, which allowed Mainoo in midfield to help support play on United’s left. One of Bruno Fernandes or Joshua Zirkzee then made penetrative runs around Ibrahima Konaté, as the central defender closest to Alexander-Arnold (below).

However, despite United’s early bossing of possession and their left-sided options on the counter, it ultimately didn’t amount to much threat on the Liverpool goal.

Liverpool’s shifting attack

To shift the momentum, Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1 adapted when in possession. Initially, this meant Salah moved inside, freeing space for Alexander-Arnold to advance as Liverpool built with a back three. Szoboszlai then moved out to the left inside channel, as United’s narrow 4-4-2 block prioritised Liverpool’s double pivot of Gravenberch and Mac Allister (below). The visitors could then play around, with Alexander-Arnold, Díaz and Szoboszlai helping them maintain possession and progress into United’s half.

At other times, Salah held the width on the right, with Alexander-Arnold narrowing as a third central-midfielder, dragging Rashford back from his previously dangerous counter-attacking position. This allowed Szoboszlai to position himself higher, between the lines, working closer to Díaz and Jota (below). Liverpool then had a front line in multiple 1v1s against United’s back four, and began to create chances as they individually dominated their respective opponents.

Ruthless Liverpool

Despite their in-possession adaptations, it was Liverpool’s ruthlessness on attacking transitions that led to their goals. Slot organised his side to press in United’s half, but only after allowing the home side to advance slightly with the ball. Jota and Szoboszlai covered central access into United’s midfield, which was easier once Casemiro dropped into the back line and split the centre-backs. Díaz and Salah then narrowed, ready to press inwards, as United’s full-backs were inaccessible – Dalot was too high, and Mazraoui unnecessarily narrow (below).

As a result, Liverpool regained possession and punished United twice before half-time. Although Ten Hag withdrew the struggling Casemiro, his team still lacked appropriate central-midfield connections during their build-up, with their midfield trio too far apart.

Liverpool’s narrow front line continued to duel and regain with purpose, and then attack the large spaces available, with no chance of any United recovery run from midfield. The superb Salah duly punished them in the second half, as Liverpool had the game wrapped up with more than 30 minutes left to play. 

United will hope that deadline day arrival Manuel Ugarte will help them to improve as the season progresses. For Liverpool, the hope is that Arne Slot proves to be their signing of the summer.

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