Arne Slot has the chance to etch his name into Liverpool’s history books this weekend and he may not get a better opportunity to do so than against a struggling Manchester United side at Anfield.
Liverpool’s new boss will record 100 Premier League points in just 46 games if his side avoid defeat on Sunday. That would make him the fastest Liverpool manager to reach a century of league points, beating Kenny Dalglish’s previous record of 48 matches. Slot could have sealed the record two games earlier, but defeats against Crystal Palace and Chelsea have delayed the milestone.
Now, the Reds need to steady the ship, and there’s arguably no better opponent to do that against than United.
Anfield advantage for Arne Slot
The stats speak for themselves when it comes to recent meetings between these two historic rivals at Anfield. This will be the 100th clash between the clubs at the ground in all competitions, with Liverpool boasting 48 wins to United’s 26. If Liverpool avoid defeat, they’ll set a new club record of 10 consecutive home league games unbeaten against United, surpassing a run from the 1970s.
In the last seven league meetings at Anfield, Liverpool have scored 18 goals and conceded just three, a dominant record that highlights how difficult it’s become for United to leave with anything.
Last season’s 7-0 win is still fresh in the memory for both sets of supporters, and while a repeat of that scoreline is unlikely, Slot will demand a response after three consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Can the Reds get better of Amorim & Co. given their ongoing problems?
Manchester United come into the game with serious problems. They’ve won just one of their last 14 Premier League matches against Liverpool and only two of the last 18. Their win over Sunderland before the international break offered some brief relief for Ruben Amorim, but the bigger picture remains bleak.
Their away record this season includes defeats at Manchester City and Brentford, and a draw at Fulham. A penalty shootout loss at Grimsby in the Carabao Cup did little to lift the mood.
Lisandro Martinez’s goal back in January was United’s first league goal at Anfield in 559 minutes, a staggering stat that underlines their attacking struggles in this fixture.
Amorim has taken just 37 points from 34 league matches since taking charge. A win on Sunday would be the first time United have recorded back-to-back league wins under him. But doing it at Anfield, where United have conceded four or more goals in four of their last nine league clashes with Liverpool, looks like a tall order.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Man United. With a record within reach and United still looking shaky, this feels like the perfect moment for Slot to bounce back.
