Arne Slot has a unique opportunity to achieve something not seen since the days of Liverpool legend Bob Paisley by leading Liverpool to victory against Manchester United.
Liverpool fans are eager for Slot to succeed where others have not. If he wins, Slot would be the first Liverpool manager since Paisley in November 1975 to win his debut match against United. Furthermore, the Dutchman could become only the second Liverpool manager ever to win his first away league game at Old Trafford, matching the feat first achieved by George Kay’s side in November 1936 with a 5-2 victory.
Should Liverpool manage to keep United from scoring, Slot would accomplish another rare milestone: becoming the first manager in 131 years to secure three clean sheets in his first three league games in charge. If this happens, he would be the first to do so in the top-flight league.
Mo Salah’s Dominance at Old Trafford
Mohamed Salah has made Old Trafford his playground, scoring six Premier League goals there—more than any other visiting player in the competition’s history. Salah recently surpassed Steven Gerrard’s record of five goals at the stadium. He’s also found the net in four consecutive league games at Old Trafford, a record streak. In total, Salah has scored 14 goals against United in 15 appearances, making United his most favored opponent. His 11 league goals in this fixture are the most by any player on either side.
Interestingly, Salah has yet to score in Liverpool’s first three games of the season. The last Liverpool player to achieve that feat was Sadio Mane in the 2017/18 season.
Key Milestones for Liverpool Players
Several Liverpool players are on the verge of reaching personal milestones in this match. Virgil van Dijk is set to make his 200th league appearance for Liverpool, while Diogo Jota could mark his 100th league game for the Reds. Jota has scored 42 league goals for Liverpool, and in the 35 games where he has found the net, the team has never lost.
Andy Robertson could reach his 300th appearance in all competitions for Liverpool, becoming the 13th Scotsman to achieve this milestone for the club. Meanwhile, Kostas Tsimikas could make his 50th league appearance for Liverpool.
Records to Watch in Attack and Defense
Liverpool have scored in their last seven visits to Old Trafford in all competitions. Scoring today would set a new club record of eight consecutive games with a goal at the stadium.
Additionally, Liverpool is aiming to keep a fourth successive clean sheet in all competitions, something they haven’t done since April 2022. The last time they achieved four straight clean sheets in the league was in March 2023, which included the memorable 7-0 victory over Manchester United.
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