Liverpool manager Arnold Slot has provided a clear analysis of how his side won 3-0 against Manchester United on Sunday.
The visitors celebrated a convincing win over their rivals at Old Trafford, thanks to goals from Luis Dias and Mohamed Salah.
Afterwards, Slot explained to Sky Sports how they did it. Here we break down his analysis…
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Watch for free: Manchester United vs Liverpool highlights in the Premier League
press high
It was a trait of Jurgen Klopp's time and it will be a trait of Slot's time. No matter who the opponent is or where the game is being played, Liverpool will try to get the ball as close to the opponent's goal as possible.
“We always like to press high. That's what Jurgen did. That's what we're going to keep doing,” Slot said. “And we scored a few goals when we pressed high. (One of them) was disallowed.”
In fact, all three of Liverpool's goals and Trent Alexander-Arnold's miss came from turnovers, and Liverpool had possession seven times in the final third of the game, compared to United's three.
In the first three rounds of the Premier League, Liverpool have applied more pressure in the final third of the pitch than any other team.
Play soccer with your front feet under the direction of the slot.
Man Utd's high fullback revealed
Roy Keane has occasionally criticised United's full-backs for pushing too far forward, and Slott said he knew the way United's full-backs were positioned would give Liverpool chances.
“Their full-backs are sometimes really high, with Casemiro coming in between (the centre-backs),” Slot explained. “So if you keep the ball up and keep Luis Diaz and Mo Salah high, it's always a one-on-one situation.”
Man Utd's average positions show how advanced their full-backs have been, while Liverpool's Luis Diaz (LW) and Mohamed Salah (RW) have remained high up the pitch.
Diaz has been very adept with the ball at his feet so far this season, adding four dribbles to his tally after five against Ipswich and three against Brentford. But Salah has taken those one-on-one opportunities to heart at Old Trafford, and with four here he has doubled his tally of attempted dribbles in his first two games.
Liverpool played United's centre-backs and Casemiro, with United's full-backs high up the pitch.
The United defence was exposed again when Casemiro missed a pass for the second goal.
Liverpool drew 4-2 with Manchester United after Kobe Mainu was denied possession when he scored the third goal.
Run hard and fight in the midfield
To force these turnovers, Liverpool needed high energy and intensity in the centre of the park. They got just that from Ryan Gravenberch, Dominic Szoboszlai and Alexis McAllister, who each ran 11km, with Szoboszlai leading the sprint stats.
The trio led by Soboslai also took the lead in possession rate.
“You need a midfielder who can run, and today we had three midfielders who kept running, and when they got to the duel they were aggressive enough to win,” Slot said. “That was one of the main reasons we were able to win today.”
We will pursue you and help you.
The midfield was supported by back-tracking forwards. Asked whether it was a gamble to play Diaz and Salah high up, Slot said: “It's only a gamble if they play to the end or overplay… But if (Diaz and Salah) run back, it's not a gamble.
“Today we saw a lot of moments where our whole team, especially the forwards, dropped back very aggressively and that's what we need if we want to win this game. If the defenders are less stressed, that's not what you want when you play with players like that, because United have quality.”
Diaz and Salah both recorded a tackle and an interception, with Salah also making a clearance. Substitutes Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez continued the approach with a tackle and a clearance respectively.
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville discuss Mohamed Salah's future and claim he is one of Liverpool's greatest ever players.
The adjusted role of Szoboszlai
Has there been a subtle change in the ball? “In the last two games, Dominik Szoboszlai has played on the right, but today he played on the left,” Slot said.
This change is evident in Soboszlai's heat map, with the midfielder leading the chance creation statistic, creating three chances from open play.
Dominik Szoboszlai played on the left against Manchester United, but his starting position in Liverpool's previous match was on the right.
Maintain high standards
With United struggling on the ball, Slot demanded more from his team at half-time and ensured they did not make costly mistakes.
Speaking about his half-time team talk, Slot said: “We had three instances where Lucho (Dias) didn't track properly and gave Nusair Mazraoui a chance to come out and Trent (Alexander-Arnold) played a sloppy pass to Alisson.
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Watch Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville react live to all the big talking points from Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
“These are the moments that can change a game at Old Trafford, so if you want to win here you have to be focused and focused every second.”
Liverpool's quality, Slot's strategy, United's mistakes and the high standards Slot brings to the table combined to give Liverpool a precious win and fans will now be hoping it sets the stage for success this season.
