Liverpool and Manchester United clashed over the weekend in one of the most intense rivalries in English football.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool entered the match as one of the few unbeaten teams in the Premier League, while Manchester United had a somewhat inconsistent season.
The match played out as many expected, with Liverpool securing all three points at Old Trafford, thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah. Consequently, Diaz and Virgil van Dijk were named in Alan Shearer’s Team of the Week.
Slot’s straightforward tactics for the match drew criticism from Roy Keane, but a former Liverpool player, Neil Mellor, has pointed out an overlooked VAR error.
Mellor argues that Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty against Manchester United for a foul by Noussair Mazraoui on Cody Gakpo.
Despite the game having minimal VAR controversy, Mellor believes this incident, which was missed by VAR, clearly warranted a penalty.
Where do Liverpool and Man United go from here?
Liverpool, having secured maximum points from their first three games and not conceding any goals, are currently second in the table behind Manchester City on goal difference.
They will look to maintain their form during the international break, whether their players are away on international duty or training at the AXA training center under Arne Slot.
Conversely, Manchester United and Erik ten Hag face significant challenges. The Red Devils are struggling to match Liverpool’s level of performance, raising concerns about their competitiveness.
Ten Hag’s frustration was evident when he was seen throwing a water bottle after Mohamed Salah’s goal.
Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to retain Ten Hag as manager seems to be backfiring, with the team’s issues becoming increasingly apparent following their FA Cup victory over Manchester City.
