Manchester United slumped to a second defeat in a row after losing 3-0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag wanted a response after seeing his Manchester United side lose 2-1 in the last seconds at Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend.
United started brightly but saw Luis Diaz profit from two Casemiro slip-ups to put Liverpool 2-0 up by the time the half-time whistle sounded.
Casemiro was hooked in favour of Toby Collyer but United were effective put away as Mohamed Salah fired home number three.
Joshua Zirkzee had a couple of chances to score but couldn’t take them as United fell to a damaging defeat at Old Trafford.
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Arne Slot on Manchester United tactics
Manchester United against Liverpool is always one to mark in the calendar – and one United fans desperate want to win each and every time.
This one had a little added intrigue though due to the history between Erik ten Hag and Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot.
The pair faced each other four times in the Eredivisie and battled it out twice in Dutch football’s biggest rivalry, Ajax against Feyenoord.
Slot beat Ten Hag twice as AZ Alkmaar boss but couldn’t beat Ten Hag after joining Feyenoord, teeing up a fascinating encounter.
Slot won this time though and shared his thoughts on Ten Hag’s tactical approach straight after Liverpool’s victory.
Speaking on Sky Sports (01/09, 6:20pm), Slot suggested that United have changed pressing methods this season as Ten Hag looks to alter his side.
Slot added that United are ‘working harder’ and ‘run more’ when the ball is play through the middle of the pitch, which he noticed in the opening weeks of the season.
“Last season, Man Utd were man-marking on the midfield, this season they are on a nine and ten press with a 4-4-2,” said Slot. “In my opinion they are working harder when the ball is played through them so they run more – that is what I saw in the first games from them,” he added.
Manchester United’s midfield issues persist
United conceded all three goals from cheap giveaways from central midfield.
Casemiro had an absolute nightmare, a real ‘Gary Neville at West Bromwich Albion’ kind of performance.
Kobbie Mainoo is the golden boy at United and deservedly so after his meteoric rise last season.
The truth is though that, whilst Mainoo is superb on the ball, he does still need to develop off the ball.
That combination still sees United cut open through the middle of the park and whilst the effort is there, the defensive solidity hasn’t quite followed.
Hopefully the arrival of Manuel Ugarte will help solve some of those issues.
Ugarte completed his move to United from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day and represents a real defensive midfield presence.
The Uruguayan has been compared to N’Golo Kante for his tackling and interception numbers and that is just what United need right now.
Ten Hag has much to think about over the international break with Ugarte potentially the answer – but the Dutchman can’t afford a similarly poor performance in the next game at Southampton.
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