Arne Slot has safely navigated his first two fixtures, and his subsequent is not only a check of his squad’s potential but additionally their mentality, as Previous Trafford is not any comfortable looking floor.
If there have been ever two video games you could possibly predict Liverpool to drop factors in any given season, it will be within the away fixtures to Everton and Man United.
It shouldn’t be the case, however it’s a psychological curse that has plagued the membership for too lengthy.
There have been some memorable journeys, little doubt, but they’ve been fleeting and too unusual for our liking. To vary that, although, requires a brand new mindset.
That’s one thing that can be put to the check when the Reds journey to Previous Trafford on Sunday. Slot heralds a brand new period, however the wounds are nonetheless considerably recent from the catastrophe that was final season.
3 wins in 20 visits…
Liverpool met United 3 times final season and didn’t win a single sport regardless of the plain disparity between the 2 groups.
Jurgen Klopp‘s aspect had 87 pictures throughout these three video games, scoring 5 targets however having no victory or cup development to point out for it – I’m having undesirable flashbacks writing about it.
To say the 2 late Previous Trafford visits final season derailed the season can be an understatement. The FA Cup go to squashed quadruple hopes and the league go to simply weeks later blew up the season.
Three successive defeats adopted to snuff out Champions League ambitions and any hope of the league title, Liverpool merely couldn’t recuperate and in the end limped to the top of the marketing campaign.
The Reds’ final league victory on the floor was in 2021 – reminiscences we’re comfortable to deliver to the floor, that 5-0 was merely pleasant – however sadly these highs have been few and much between.
To say Previous Trafford holds psychological scars is only one means of wording it, and Slot might want to soothe these lingering doubts the gamers may have, whether or not consciously or subconsciously.
Throughout all competitions, Liverpool have received simply three of the final 20 away conferences between the 2 sides (3W, 5D, 12L).
You possibly can rip up squads, change managers and see the 2 groups at reverse ends of the shape desk, however this fixture is a vortex that sucks up our hopes and goals, making it an early hurdle for Slot to navigate.
Calmness can be key
Praising what Slot has dropped at Liverpool is not any slight on Klopp, however the calm and composed nature of the latest victory over Brentford affords renewed hope forward of Sunday’s match.
Chaos has made means for management, with danger fastidiously managed – and it’s this alteration that allowed the kind of routine win we noticed towards Brentford having ‘killed them with passes‘.
The energy of the opponents are duly famous, however after two Premier League video games, the Reds have the best xG (5.3) and the bottom xG conceded (0.8) – that are early indicators of what Slot is preaching.
Explaining his danger vs. reward ideas to Sky, Slot stated: “Liverpool used each second they may to play the ball in behind [under Klopp].
“That meant that the sport was generally a bit open, particularly within the final interval of Jurgen. Typically I inform the gamers to get a greater judgement in danger and reward.
92% – Liverpool accomplished 92% of their passes in as we speak’s sport towards Brentford, their finest passing accuracy in a Premier League sport on file since 2003-04. Slotted. pic.twitter.com/5QFdd72YAt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 25, 2024
“So when you can put some balls in entrance of the goalkeeper, please attempt to achieve this if not, it’s additionally a good suggestion to maintain the ball, however I’m positive if Jurgen was within the room now he’d say he’d wish to preserve the ball infrequently too.”
With Previous Trafford to be on their backs all through, it is going to be an attention-grabbing check of Slot’s practices when the workforce are underneath stress – will they revert to forcing the problem or stay affected person?
Alexis Mac Allister famous the workforce remains to be a piece in progress after the most recent 2-0 win, saying: “We all know there may be nonetheless room for enchancment.
“Within the transition, generally we must be affected person, however as an alternative we’re fairly direct.”
The gamers’ mindset at Previous Trafford will must be thought-about, however it’s when straight-talking Slot can come to the fore together with his purposeful calls for and sport plan.
Liverpool have proven they are often calm, decisive and composed, qualities that give little for the opposition to work with, and that they will handle time in possession with ease affords optimism.
There isn’t any place to cover at Previous Trafford, however Slot’s type of play – which is extra apparent than Erik ten Hag’s in a fraction of the time – may help Liverpool overcome the struggles of the previous.
If he does get the job executed on Sunday, the enhance can be extra than simply factors added to the desk.
