Arne Slot's Liverpool came to Old Trafford in an early season heavyweight clash with bitter rivals Manchester United and completely took over. The match finished 3-0 but easily could've been 5 or 6 for the Merseyside club.
After a Trent Alexander-Arnold goal was ruled out for offside in the 7th minute, this should've been a wake up call for United but the worst was yet to come as a Luis Diaz brace had the reds 2-0 up heading into the half-time break.
The dominance continued after the break as Liverpool controlled the pace and intensity in a sobering day for Erik Ten Haag's Red Devils. Mo Salah was brilliant all day and he finished off the scoring with a goal before the hour mark.
The rest of the match was played out with little to report in front of an emptying Old Trafford with fans streaming out the gates long before the final whistle.
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Neville Refusing To Answer Carragher’s Question Regarding Midfield Swap
Entertainment on the pitch was lacking in the final half hour but both Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher provided enough as they were together in the commentary box throughout.
With the result effectively decided, Carragher decided to press Neville about his claim last month that Manchester United had the superior midfield to Liverpool.
Neville made the claim on MNF during the programme's season preview.
Neville weighed in on both teams on Monday night football after the first weekend of the season:
I think Liverpool have got a better team than Manchester United. Liverpool have got far better forwards, that is the thing that they do have. I think in midfield, if I look at Manchester United’s midfield players, I do think Liverpool, with [Wataru] Endo, [Dominik] Szoboszlai and [Alexis] Mac Allister, they’ve done unbelievably well to get the performance levels out of those three that they have with Jurgen Klopp
"I think Manchester United have got more in midfield" 👀@Gnev2 and @Carra23 debate the Man United and Liverpool's midfields 🔍 pic.twitter.com/OcYBJTnh0z
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 20, 2024
On the back of Casemiro's abject performance, Carragher was not about to let this claim go.
The conversation turned to the midfield's on show as Carragher asked the former Manchester United right-back if he would swap United's current options for Liverpool's.
But Neville did his best to avoid the question:
You think with Gravenberch, McAllister, Szoboszlai and Manchester United have Casemiro, Fernandes, Eriksen, McTominay, Mount, now Ugarte, Mainoo, they've absolutely destroyed them. That 3 in midfield today and that's a real pressure point, they've outplayed and outfought them.
Faced with his colleague's non-answer, the ex-Liverpool man again pressed Neville.
The result was great television
Gary Neville refusing to answer Carragher’s question on his saying he wouldn't swap United's midfield for Liverpool's…
😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/REixkNUSxd— Watch LFC (@Watch_LFC) September 1, 2024
The tension between the pair rumbled into the post-match analysis section as Carragher accused Manchester United of 'bottling' the rumoured sacking of Ten Hag last summer.
"Oh my god, how can you say they bottled it?!"
Safe to say @GNev2 and @Carra23 didn't agree on this... pic.twitter.com/OV196nXCru— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 1, 2024
As the first Liverpool manager to win their first match at Old Trafford since George Kay in 1936, Arne Slot has hit the ground running on Merseyside.
