Liverpool continued their 100% start to the Premier League campaign with a convincing 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Merseyside giants have been mesmerising to watch under new manager Arne Slot in recent weeks and they had the better of their arch-rivals yesterday after the attacking brilliance of Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian delivered two wonderful assists for Luis Diaz’s goals in the first half before finding the back of the net himself.
Liverpool dominated the proceedings in midfield after a nervy start and Ryan Gravenberch was an unsung hero, delivering one of his best performances in the Reds shirt. The Dutchman won 7 out of his 10 duels, as per Fotmob alongside 100% of his tackles. The Ajax graduate also made 6 recoveries during the course of the game.
The 22-year-old completed 84% passes against the Red Devils with 4 interceptions and 1 clearance. Gravenberch had an average debut season with the Reds after arriving from Bayern Munich on deadline day last summer. With no pre-season under his belt, he struggled to adapt to the higher intensity required to play in English football.
The £29.5 million star was also hampered by multiple injury concerns, but he appears to have found his feet this season. The young midfielder showed glimpses of his form at Ajax with his terrific work rate. He induced errors from the opposition with his regular pressing and played his part in the opening goal in the 35th minute.
The victory over United on the road has sent a strong message that Liverpool can’t be ruled out as contenders for the top-flight title. There has been much focus on Arsenal challenging Manchester City for the Premier League crown for the 3rd year running, but the Reds can’t be counted out amid their brilliant start under Slot.
Of course, they could have conceded some goals on Sunday. Joshua Zirkzee had two fantastic chances to score but fluffed his lines. Liverpool can take the positives from the encounter. They have not conceded yet in the Premier League and have a favourable schedule on paper following the first international break.
