Man United boss Erik ten Hag concedes ‘mature’ Liverpool have advantage (2024)

LONDON – Liverpool are a more mature side than Manchester United, with the advantage of a cohesive team of established players, the Red Devils’ manager Erik ten Hag said ahead of the English Premier League clash between the bitter rivals at Old Trafford on Sept 1.

“Liverpool are in a different phase of the life cycle,” he explained on Aug 30. “They are a mature team with players who have played together for a long time and are very experienced.

“We are much more mixed and we have to build a new team.”

United have not beaten Liverpool in the league since a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August 2022, though the Red Devils did prevail 4-3 over former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp’s side en route to winning the FA Cup last season.

Liverpool finished third in the league last season, five places and 22 points ahead of United, but ten Hag also said his side could take heart from their performance against Manchester City in the Cup final.

“We can always win, last year we won (in the FA Cup) in the second part of the season,” the 54-year-old Dutchman said.

“(Liverpool) are a team who are clear in the relationship among their players.

“It’s what (new manager Arne Slot) has inherited. It was built over the last few years.”

Ten Hag and compatriot Slot, 45, have faced each other during their time working in the Dutch top flight, with little to chose between them on paper.

Both managers have two wins apiece against each other in the Eredivisie, and the match will be their first head-to-head meeting since March 2022.

Liverpool have made a solid start to the season under Slot, who became their first manager since Graeme Souness in 1991 to win two opening league games following last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Brentford.

United, on the other hand, dropped their first points of the season when they lost 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion.

In terms of results and performance, they are more inconsistent than their rivals despite the Reds having to adjust to a new manager.

“When I came here I knew beforehand it would be the most difficult thing I could ever do in my life, to come in (to) a club with a lot of problems,” added Ten Hag, who took charge of United in April 2022 and has won the League Cup and the FA Cup in his first two seasons.

“I inherited a history of six years and no trophy. We’re still in transition. We have young players, academy players, and now we have to construct a team for the future.”

There are also injury concerns heading into the clash, with Mason Mount the latest to join Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw on the sidelines.

Slot, meanwhile, has said he was excited about the arrival of versatile attacker Federico Chiesa but would be careful to introduce the 26-year-old into action gradually.

Chiesa joined from Juventus on Aug 29 but the Italian is unlikely to feature against United.

“He works really hard, on and off the pitch, and he combines this with scoring goals,” Slot said.

“Really aggressive without the ball... can play in so many positions. But we should take care of him in the beginning because he didn’t train with the team in the last two weeks.

“We will build him up in the right way and hopefully we can see his quality in the near future.”

Slot also said he was looking forward to visiting Old Trafford, where he lost 4-0 with AZ Alkmaar in 2019.

“Many of these (Liverpool) players have played there before so I don’t think I have to prepare them for the 75,000 (spectators); they’ve been used to this,” he added.

“I have prepared them in the best possible way for what they can expect because United play, in my opinion, a bit different than the last two seasons.”

The Reds have no major injuries, with Curtis Jones the only concern. REUTERS, AFP