Erik ten Hag can't lie about what he's seen Arne Slot do at Liverpool

Erik ten Hag has conceded that Arne Slot's influence at Liverpool is already noticeable ahead of Sunday's Old Trafford showdown.

The Reds travel to face the Red Devils off the back of successive 2-0 victories against Ipswich Town and Brentford to start the new Premier League campaign, with Slot earning plenty of plaudits for how he has set his side up in both games.

While Liverpool may not have set the world alight with their performances, the new manager's influence on the style of play has been noticeable and his players seem to be rising to the challenge.

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It may only be Game Week 3 but the Reds already sit fourth in the Premier League table, missing out on top spot only by goal difference, and remain just one of two sides yet to concede in the opening two matches.

And ahead of the visit to Old Trafford this weekend, Man United boss Ten Hag has given his thoughts on Slot's start at Liverpool in the early stages of the new season.

Speaking in Friday's press conference, the Red Devils manager said: "The players, the partnerships, the relationships in that team are very clear, and he inherited that from the past years. But I have already seen some of the things that he has brought in."

As aforementioned, Slot has already earned plaudits for Liverpool's performances so far this season, especially since there have been no reinforcements at Anfield this summer. Instead, the 45-year-old has been happy to work with what he's got.

That has already served him well against Ten Hag this summer, having seen his Liverpool side record a 3-0 victory over Man United at the start of the month in a pre-season friendly in the United States.

It came after Ten Hag praised Slot for his "fantastic" work at Feyenoord and claimed that Liverpool's style of play suits his countryman "completely". "I think it’s a very good match," he said at the time.

Now, however, Slot has claimed that he and the former Ajax manager are not friends ahead of this weekend's fiery clash. This was, of course, tongue in cheek but the Dutchman admits that while they get on, they are not deemed "close" just yet.

Speaking in his own press conference ahead of Liverpool's third game of the season, Slot said: "No, no, not friends, no, no, no," he insisted. "Friends is something else, I think.

"A very good relationship, but a friend is someone you see a lot and go out to dinner with. But that is not something we've done in the past, for that we don't know each other well enough."