Liverpool stunned by Man Utd as defeat leaves Arne Slot on worst run of managerial career

Three losses in a row 

Premier League champions Liverpool were stunned by Manchester United after falling to a shock 2-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday, which confirms Arne Slot is now on the worst losing run of his managerial career. The Dutchman, who guided the Reds to their 20th domestic title in his debut season on Merseyside, is struggling to find a way to end their miserable run of results, despite spending €460million this summer on the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

They couldn't have started in worse fashion, as Bryan Mbeumo ghosted in behind Virgil van Dijk to score within the first 90 seconds to hand the Red Devils a shock lead. After that, Rúben Amorim's men continued to threaten, littering Giorgi Mamardashvili's goal with chances but were unable to find a second. Then super sub Federico Chiesa sent in a wonderful delivery for Cody Gakpo to prod home to make it 1-1, and Liverpool chased a winner. But out of nothing, United defender Harry Maguire restored the advantage with a close-range header. Liverpool couldn't find an equaliser in the lengthy eight minutes of stoppage time, condemning them to a third consecutive defeat under Slot.

The 47-year-old saw his side concede stoppage-time goals away to Crystal Palace and then Chelsea, with both matches ending in 2-1 defeats. But at home to their arch rivals United, many expected the Reds to rediscover their winning mentality. After all, they hadn't won at Anfield in the Premier League since January 2016. Instead, they find themselves on the end of another questionable defeat and Slot is facing something of a mini crisis, having also lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League.

It's the first time since he stepped into management that Slot has lost three league games on the bounce. In the Eredivisie, oversaw two defeats in a row with AZ Alkmaar in the 2019/20 season, which comprised of successive defeats to Sparta Rotterdam and Willem II. At Feyenoord, Slot oversaw seven defeats during the 2020/21 campaign, but none of them arrived back to back. In the 2022/23 season, he guided the Dutch giants to the Eredivisie title and only lost two games in the entire season, as he did the following year when they finished second.

Likewise, Liverpool lost four games on their way to the title last season, but none of them came consecutively. None of Isak, Wirtz, Hugo Ekiktike and Mohamed Salah were able to find the answer against United, and Slot will be hoping that changes as their title defence begins to falter.