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Liverpool wrapped up their US tour with a resounding 3-0 victory over Man United and a performance that showcased yet more of what Arne Slot has been implementing.
Liverpool 3-0 Man United
Pre-season friendly (3)
Williams-Brice Stadium; Columbia, South Carolina
August 3, 2024
Goals
Carvalho 10′ (assist: Jota)
Jones 36′ (assist: Salah)
Tsimikas 61′
With Slot not wanting to take any risks over a fatigued Dominik Szoboszlai, Slot made two changes to the team that beat Arsenal 2-1.
The Hungarian’s place as one of the two more deep-lying midfielders was taken by Ryan Gravenberch, playing his first minutes of pre-season, while the other returning international, Ibrahima Konate, replaced Sepp van den Berg.
The Reds, sporting their new “night forest” kit, took the lead after just 10 minutes when Fabio Carvalho showed great skill to deceive Casemiro then shoot, with his weaker left foot, across goal into the bottom corner.
With the ball zipping around the pitch after a biblical rainstorm, Man United gained a foothold in the game, putting Konate under pressure as the Frenchman struggled to get up to speed in possession.
Erik ten Hag’s team spurned chances, a theme that would continue throughout the game, and allowed Liverpool to break dangerously – Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott were the chief perpetrators.
Liverpool scored their second thanks to Salah’s mesmerising control on the right, that earned him space to cross accurately into the path of Curtis Jones who couldn’t miss.
Half time: Liverpool 2-0 Man United
- Carvalho and Jones show Reds at clinical best
- Konate and Gravenberch comes straight back into the team
- Elliott again impresses as the attacking midfielder
- Liverpool conceding plenty of chances but goalkeepers are great
Conor Bradley was a constant threat on Liverpool’s right, and his link-up play with Salah and Elliott was Liverpool’s most potent form of attack until Slot’s substitutions came just after the hour-mark.
Man United didn’t go short of chances and their performance deserved a goal, in all honesty. However, the Reds’ goalkeepers, Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros, again proved their pre-season sharpness, acting authoritatively as Liverpool’s last line of defence.
Their excellence allowed Liverpool to remain comfortable in their lead and Kostas Tsimikas added to their two-goal advantage just before exiting the pitch, tapping in a rebound following a great move formed from Salah and Bradley’s link-up play.
Overall, Slot will be pleased with the performance, though there were certainly moments of uncertainty in defence.
The game was another example of just how good Liverpool can be when they click in attack, and it certainly indicated we are in for an exciting season of football.
The two sides face off again for real in the Premier League in 29 days at Old Trafford.
Liverpool now return to Merseyside, with two friendlies against La Liga sides Sevilla and Las Palmas at Anfield next Sunday.
TIA Man of the Match: Bradley
Attendance: 77,559
Liverpool: Kelleher (Jaros 46′); Bradley (Stephenson 72′), Quansah (Phillips 65′), Konate (Van den Berg 46′), Tsimikas (Chambers 65′); Jones (Nyoni 60′), Gravenberch (Bajcetic 65′), Elliott (Morton 65′); Salah (Doak 65′), Carvalho (Endo 65′), Jota (Blair 65′)
Man United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka (Scanlon 83′), Evans (Fish 46′, Oyedele 73′), Lindelof (Bennett 46′), Amass (Murray 73′); Casemiro, Collyer (Eriksen 62′); Diallo (Antony 62′), Mount (Wheatley 62′), Rashford (McTominay 46′); Sancho (Mather 73′)
Subs not used: Heaton, Vitek, Mejbri, Fletcher
Next Match: Sevilla – Friendly (Anfield, Sunday, August 11)
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