Liverpool concluded their three-match US tour with a perfect record, as Arne Slot’s side secured an impressive 3-0 win against Manchester United in Columbia.
In front of a 77,559-strong crowd—the largest ever for a non-US football match—at the Williams-Brice Stadium, Fabio Carvalho put Liverpool ahead after 10 minutes, capitalizing on slack defending from Casemiro inside the area.
The lead was doubled in the 36th minute when Mohamed Salah’s excellent close control outmaneuvered United youngster Toby Collyer on the touchline. The Egyptian forward then burst to the byline and set up Curtis Jones with a low cross.
A third goal came in the 61st minute when Konstantinos Tsimikas seized on a loose ball, scoring after Andre Onana failed to hold Diogo Jota’s instinctive first-time effort.
New manager Slot, replacing Jurgen Klopp, will know that his success won’t be judged on pre-season games, but he will be pleased with the outcome of the Stateside trip ahead of their Premier League opener against newly promoted Ipswich on August 17.
In contrast, it was a tough night for Manchester United, worsened by what appeared to be a serious injury to young defender Will Fish, who was stretchered off after a foul on Harvey Blair.
United’s trip ended with losses to both Premier League opponents they faced, following a defeat against Arsenal seven days earlier, though they did secure a win against Real Betis in between.
Like Liverpool, Manchester United will welcome back several key players after Euro 2024 and Copa America commitments when they return to training next week.
Perfect US trip for new boss Slot
At times, Liverpool were exceptional, moving the ball around quickly and pressing high and fast from the start. They committed plenty of men forward, capitalizing on United’s unforced errors.
Salah looked lively, Jones was a busy presence in midfield, and both Caoimhin Kelleher and his replacement Vitezslav Jaros made excellent saves when needed.
With speculation about Kelleher potentially leaving Anfield before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, Jaros’ impressive saves against Ethan Wheatley and Scott McTominay would have been encouraging for his manager.
The results on tour, with Liverpool also having beaten Arsenal and Betis, mean Slot can approach the final two weeks of pre-season from a position of strength, which is exactly what he would have hoped for when he was named Klopp’s successor in May.
“We are very happy with the result. We scored some really nice goals but I don’t think we had enough control over the game because United were threatening us more than a few times,” Slot said.
“It’s a 3-0 win but the score could have been different tonight as well.”