Erik ten Hag sets unwanted Man Utd record after humbling loss against Liverpool

The first Premier League meeting between Manchester United and Liverpool this season went the way of the Merseyside club, who ran out comfortable victors at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s defeat to Liverpool on Sunday saw manager Erik ten Hag beaten by three goals in three Premier League home games in the space of 12 months – a new club record.

Luis Diaz scored twice before half-time for the visitors, who cruised to victory under Arne Slot. Mohamed Salah added a third after the break to ensure Liverpool go into the international break unbeaten and without conceding a single goal.

United, in contrast, remain in the bottom half after a second straight defeat. They won their opener against Fulham, but suffered a last-gasp loss at Brighton before allowing Liverpool to triumph.

Ten Hag’s team lost 14 times last season as they finished eighth in the league, with six of those reverses coming at Old Trafford. By losing 3-0 at home three times in the space of 12 months, though, Ten Hag has done something no other United boss has done in the Premier League era.

The first of those three goal losses came in October 2023. Only a Hannibal Mejbri consolation prevented United losing 3-0 at home to Brighton earlier in the season, but the first Manchester Derby of the season did end in a three-goal loss as Erling Haaland bagged a brace for Manchester City.

Just six weeks later, there was another 3-0 home loss. This time it was Bournemouth who came out on top, thanks to goals from Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi, with Dango Ouattara seeing a late fourth disallowed for handball.

In contrast, Arne Slot became the first Liverpool boss in the Premier League era to win his first match against United. In fact he’s the first since Bob Paisley in 1975 to win their first league meeting with United and the first since George Kay in 1936 to win on his first league trip to Old Trafford.

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“It is not like I am Harry Potter,” Ten Hag said after the defeat. “You have to acknowledge that. For three players it was their first start of the season.

“Manuel Ugarte did not play one minute – he needs to build his fitness. Then we have to build him into the team. I am sure he will contribute to our team. It will take a couple of weeks, maybe even a month. That is the same for a lot of players.”

United have a break of close to a fortnight before returning to Premier League action, by which point deadline day signing Ugarte could be in line to feature. Their next match comes away to newly-promoted Southampton, who remain in the bottom three after losing at Brentford to make it three league defeats from three.

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