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it is liverpool against Manchester United And a manager is having a historically bad run. No Reuben AmorimEither, who has equaled him Longest winning streak in the Premier League as head coach of United (Assuming that’s only one win). But Arne Slott have had to suffer Three consecutive defeats for the first time: Throughout his managerial career, not just his reign on Merseyside.
They have been counterparts and opposites, the men in charge of England’s two biggest clubs, appointed within a few months of each other, when there was a scenario under which Amorim could have got the slot job after a comparable record in his homeland.
Each took a club that had been somewhat deprived of success over the previous two decades and was looking to make a greater impact in continental competition as well as being the third force in their respective countries. This marked each as a rising star, attracting the attention of the Premier League.
And there, perhaps, the similarities end, their paths diverge. The slot won the Premier League, marking the second time in 35 years that Liverpool finished the season top. Amorim has dropped to 15th, United’s lowest in half a century.
despite this Recent damage to Crystal Palace And Chelsea, the slot, is still averaging 2.20 points per game in the division, more than double Amorim’s 1.09. The Dutchman scored more points in his first 16 top-flight matches in England than the Portuguese did throughout his tenure.
But, of course, Slott had a much deeper legacy. This was down to the timing – he had taken charge in the summer, but with a few months’ notice before then, while Amorim had been parachuted in mid-season – but also the team and culture of the club. He has often given credit to Jurgen Klopp; Amorim thanked his predecessor Eric ten Hag for less.
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Amorim’s lawyers – a weak band according to the evidence that, indeed, he is not an excellent manager – may wonder what he would have done at Anfield. And yet, while he was portrayed as the frontrunner after Klopp dropped the bomb, Liverpool long insisted he was not, and until he landed the slot, no one was. What can be said, though, is that, even discounting
Liverpool were partly discouraged by Amorim’s emphasis on a back three. United wasn’t, but probably should have been. Slott proved to be the uninteresting successor, Amorim the newcomer who prescribed change but brought the wrong type. They were evolutionary and revolutionary, but when last season ended, the innovation was that United had half the points as Liverpool.
Slott changed Klopp’s 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, reworking some players – at times using Luis Diaz as a striker, Cody Gakpo at full back and Ryan Gravenberch as a defensive midfielder – but, in another respect, he made so few changes to his team that by the time Liverpool became champions he signed Neither player started the league match. Amorim used players in different positions, partly to incorporate them into his preferred 3-4-3, but with less confirmation. If many of the existing squad advanced under Slot, many retreated under Amorim.
But summer offered another comparison. As he began spending, most of his spending was on attack. Amorim spent £200m on three forwards, Slott spent £200m on two, with Florian Wirtz spending an additional £100m on a number 10. Of those six expensive pairings, only Hugo Ekitike and Brian Mbumo can be described as successful so far. Matheus Cunha, Alexander Isak and Wirtz will all head to Anfield in search of their first league goals in the colors of their new club.
Liverpool have had more late winners and goals this season, but Amorim could argue that United have shown greater improvement in attack. Their xG is higher than Liverpool. He has more shots in the Premier League. They have also gone to Grimsby in the Carabao Cup and could be eight points behind Liverpool on Sunday evening.
Strategically, traditional rivals are taking different paths but with a common puzzle. Each is looking for the proper balance between attack and defense. Liverpool have lost it after spending £450m this season. United have rarely had the same under Amorim, which others – though not he – may attribute to the 3-4-3, playing Bruno Fernandes in the center of midfield and often using wing-backs who are actually full-backs. A characteristic of Amorim is that he is unable to advance into the game without substituting one of his centre-backs. One quirk of the slot is that, when chasing a winner, he will dislodge one, moving Gravenberch in behind, whereas Van Dijk would only be playing with a specialist central defender.
Perhaps, one reason for Liverpool’s defensive troubles this season is that Slott has acquired two full-backs who may be more suited to playing wing-back. Maybe they are better suited for Amorim. Not that, six decades on from Phil Chisnall being the last player to transfer directly between the two clubs, they could easily swap Jeremy Frimpong for Diogo Dalot.
But Sunday provides a test for everyone. Slott’s first major win as Liverpool manager was against United; But Ten Hags United, which they opened up with ease. Amorim has lost out to several managers during his difficult time at United, but not to the slot: his team had a 2–2 draw at Anfield in January but, thanks to a late miss from Harry Maguire, could have won it. A similar scoreline would now suggest United have more potential this season and extend Liverpool’s mini-slump. And, given that this could be the season when Liverpool overtake United and become the first club to be crowned champions of England 21 times, it could at least give Amorim influence in the title race.