Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz were able to “exploit” Manchester United due to Arne Slot’s tactical acumen, according to Rio Ferdinand.
Liverpool achieved a 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday, marking Slot’s successful debut against the Red Devils.
Diaz scored twice in the first half, with Salah assisting on his second goal, while Salah added another in the second half with a left-footed shot past Andre Onana.
Casemiro was heavily criticized for the loss after losing possession to Ryan Gravenberch, leading to Liverpool’s first goal, and being intercepted by Diaz for the second. Ferdinand noted that Slot’s strategy to utilize his wingers effectively against United was crucial to Liverpool’s triumph.
On the ‘Rio Presents’ show, Ferdinand, alongside former United teammate Owen Hargreaves and co-host Joel Beya, explained that the positioning of Salah and Diaz enabled them to “exploit” the situation. He suggested that by regaining possession high up the pitch, they could capitalize on the opportunity and score, which they did twice.
“Let them exploit, that’s what we used to do,” Ferdinand remarked. “Initially, let them get ahead so that if we do win the ball back, their full-backs are too high and can’t recover in time. In fact, two of the goals, the full-backs aren’t even visible.”
Despite Noussair Mazraoui’s strong performance at United, the Moroccan international was absent when Diaz scored the first goal. On the other side, Diogo Dalot left Salah unmarked, allowing him to score his third goal of the season, validating Slot’s strategy.
Slot has had an unbeaten start with Liverpool, who are currently second in the Premier League and the only team yet to concede a goal this season. Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag is under pressure after losing his first two games and scoring only twice.Arne Slot’s tactical approach played a key role in Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, as highlighted by Rio Ferdinand. Slot’s strategy focused on exploiting Manchester United’s defensive setup, particularly through the effective use of wingers Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Luis Diaz scored twice in the first half, benefiting from Salah’s assist on his second goal, while Salah added a third goal in the second half. The goals were a result of Liverpool’s high pressing and regaining possession in advanced positions, which left Manchester United’s full-backs exposed and unable to recover.
Ferdinand, on his show “Rio Presents,” analyzed how Slot’s tactics allowed Liverpool to “exploit” Manchester United’s weaknesses, emphasizing the positioning and movement of Salah and Diaz. He pointed out that regaining possession high up the pitch forced United’s full-backs to be out of position, leading to Liverpool capitalizing on these opportunities.
Casemiro, in particular, faced criticism for his role in the loss after losing possession to Ryan Gravenberch, which led to Liverpool’s opening goal. Diaz also intercepted him for the second goal, highlighting Manchester United’s vulnerability in possession.
Despite Noussair Mazraoui’s strong individual performance for Manchester United, he was not present when Diaz scored the first goal. Similarly, Diogo Dalot’s failure to mark Salah allowed the Egyptian winger to score Liverpool’s third goal of the game.
Slot’s impact at Liverpool has been immediate, with the team remaining unbeaten and currently second in the Premier League, while Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United is under pressure after two consecutive defeats and only two goals scored so far this season.
