Man United will make top-four this season and here’s why”: Liverpool coach Arne Slot explains why Man United finish ahead of Chelsea this season

Manchester United came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with Liverpool FC in the Premier League on Sunday night.

Arne Slot highlighted the performances of both Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot as key factors behind Trent Alexander-Arnold’s poor display in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

The 26-year-old was arguably the worst player on the pitch for either side at Anfield, but lasted until the 86th minute before he was replaced by young full-back Conor Bradley. Alexander-Arnold didn’t win a single duel during his time on the pitch, a feat Bradley managed within just a minute of being introduced into the match.
Alexander-Arnold’s poor performance raised questions of whether intense transfer interest from Real Madrid has distracted him, but after the match, his manager cited the brilliance of two United players as a key factor behind his quiet display.
Asked if he felt most of United’s threat came down Liverpool’s righthand side, he told Sky Sports: “Yeah, I think they did. That is also due to Bruno Fernandes, who is a very, very good player and he played a very good game. United have shown many times if things are really difficult for them, they can show up.
They did cause us some problems, Dalot was a threat as well on the left side. We are talking about two starters of the Portugal national team and that is why. It is not always easy to prevent them from getting into dangerous situations, which happened a few times. Unfortunately, that led to two goals.”
When further pressed on the poor performance from the Liverpool right-back, he added: “Trent has played mostly very good games for the club. Today was not his best game but that had to do with them as well. Sometimes Ryan [Gravenberch] was not close enough to him so it was a two-on-one situation. I would put it more on the quality of [Diogo] Dalot and Bruno Fernandes.”
Manchester United secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against Liverpool in a tense Premier League clash at Anfield. Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold faced criticism for his performance, failing to win a single duel during the match. The poor showing led to his substitution in the 86th minute for Conor Bradley, who immediately made an impact.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot attributed Alexander-Arnold’s struggles not just to his own form but to the exceptional performances of Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot. Speaking after the match, Slot highlighted the duo’s influence on the game, particularly in exploiting Liverpool’s right-hand side. He emphasized that Fernandes and Dalot, both key players for the Portugal national team, posed a significant threat that Liverpool struggled to contain.

Slot also pointed to occasional lapses in Liverpool’s midfield, specifically Ryan Gravenberch’s positioning, which left Alexander-Arnold exposed in two-on-one situations. While acknowledging the right-back’s off day, Slot focused on the brilliance of United’s players in creating dangerous opportunities that led to the draw.

The result showcased United’s resilience, with Fernandes and Dalot playing pivotal roles in their fightback. The performance also raised questions about Alexander-Arnold’s focus amidst reported transfer interest from Real Madrid.