Ten Hag vs Slot: The Liverpool man strikes first in the new Dutch rivalry

Dutch compatriots Arne Slot and Erik ten Hag faced off for the first time in the Premier League, and it was Slot who struck first in the new rivalry.

Slot's Liverpool was too much to handle for Ten Hag's side, winning the game 3-0, with Luis Diaz scoring a brace and Mohamed Salah capping off a perfect performance.

Liverpool couldn't have had a better start to the season under Slot, securing three victories without conceding a goal. For United and Ten Hag, they sit 14^th after losing the last two games.

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Before the game, two Dutch coaches managing the two biggest football clubs in England were described as "Fantastic for our football" by Ten Hag, especially at a time when Dutch coaches managing on the biggest stage had been at a minimum.

Football icon and Dutch legend Johan Cruyff revolutionised football at Ajax and then at FC Barcelona, winning four La Liga titles and one European Cup while playing expansive football and inspiring future coaches like Pep Guardiola.

Since Cruyff's masterful coaching period in the 1990s, managers who had success in the Netherlands have famously struggled to have success abroad.

According to Sky Sports, Phillip Cocu lasted 15 games at Fenerbahçe, Giovanni van Bronckhorst had 23 games in charge of Guangzhou, Frank de Boer managed 14 at Inter, and Steve McClaren had 24 with Wolfsburg. All four had chances in Britain, with little success.

The little success of managers who started in the Eredivisie puts a heavy burden on Slot and Ten Hag to carry on Cruyff's legacy and dominate at two of the biggest clubs in the world.

Manchester United manager Ten Hag has enjoyed a more successful period than most managers who have made the switch from Dutch football, winning the League Cup and FA Cup in two seasons but also leading United to a worse place finish of eighth last season.

It's too early to talk about Slot's Liverpool career just yet, but the Liverpool boss has come into the job with a similar pedigree to the United boss. Both have won the Eredivisie title (Slot 1, Ten Hag 3) and the KNVB Cup (Slot 1, Ten Hag 2), according to Transfermarkt.

It's important to remember that Ten Hag was managing a highly successful Ajax team, while Slot was punching above his weight with Feyenoord. On the face of it, the managers draw up more similarities than differences, but is that true?

Pascal Jansen, Slot's assistant at AZ and someone who did his UEFA Pro Licence alongside Ten Hag, believes their bald heads are the only thing that is similar between the coaches.

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Jansen told Sky Sports that each manager has their own advantage over each other. For Ten Hag, it's his understanding of the Premier League. "That will help him. It is something that Arne now has to experience." The United boss has managed over 100 games for the club.

Jansen spoke on Slot's personality and ability to handle the media: "If you look at them personality-wise, I think Erik is a little bit more within himself, and Arne is more known for being a little bit more eccentric." Similar to Jurgen Klopp, his personality can quickly win fans over.

Their different personalities translate onto the pitch, with Ten Hag setting up his team in a mid-block, rather than pressing high. The Manchester United manager likes to play direct football and release his attackers like Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho into high spaces.

According to the Coaches Voice website, Slot favours a purposeful and organised extremely high press that looks to win the ball high up, with the full backs and wingers pinned towards the top of the pitch. It allows for cutting-edge passing in the final third to unlock a team.

The Dutch managers have met four times in the Eredivisie, with each manager having two wins each. Slot got the better of Ten Hag in the first two, winning 1-0 and 0-2 with AZ against Ajax in the 2019-20 season. Ten Hag got his revenge in 2021-22, doing the double over Feyenoord with 3-2 and 2-0 wins.

With Slot winning the latest encounter, he takes a 3-2 lead over Ten Hag in the rivalry. Is it a sign of things to come, or will Manchester United and Ten Hag start to click?

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