3 Reasons why Liverpool's trip to Old Trafford is extra important for Arne Slot

Liverpool versus Manchester United is always one of the biggest fixtures on the docket in English football whenever they meet, there is no doubt about it.

However, there are times when the matches mean even a little more, such as Champions League fixtures, cup ties and top of the table clashes.

As Liverpool prepares for their first meeting of the new season with their bitter rivals, there is an extra layer of pressure that comes with this and that results from the arrival of Arne Slot. This will be his first taste of one of the most historic rivalries in history.

Here are three reasons why Sunday's meeting might mean just a little bit more than usual.

1. Righting the wrongs from last season

Now, this one is not solely about Slot and more about the players that were here to suffer through a pair of Premier League draws and a brutal FA Cup Quarterfinal exit.

The Reds were pushed back on multiple occasions by their rivals and it happed in embarrassing fashion.

They should come into this match on Sunday extra fired up and ready to send a message to the rest of the league and restore their dominance in the series, harkening back to 4-0, 5-0 and 7-0. I don't expect a scoreline like that but I do want to see a reaction from the lads.

United have made several additions to their squad and they are trying to reach the height of Liverpool's decade under Jurgen Klopp.

Getting a statement win on their ground this early in the season would give the players a major confidence boost and would go a long way to truly kickstarting the season as it is by far their toughest early season game.

2. Arne Slot getting his first taste of the rivalry

The pressure of taking over for Klopp is already immense for the Dutch coach. The standard is being among the best of the best in the world and anything less than that is an abject failure.

Everything he does is being scrutinized, even down to his post-match hand gesture to fans in the stands.

As the focus shifts from Ipswich Town and Brentford to a massive rival, those expectations and pressures will only be amplified. If he can get a good performance and even better, a good result, that would go a long way to settling some nerves.

While Klopp did orchestrate the aforementioned memorable victories, he also saw the brutal defeats and draws, so Slot starting with a win is a dream scenario.

He's coached in other intense fixtures but this one is on a different level so it will be interesting to see how he approaches the game both tactically and emotionally.

3. It's a chance to put United in an early hole

With Manchester United suffering a last second defeat to Brighton at the weekend, they are already chasing points and a Liverpool win would only compound the misery and bring angst to a potential Top 4 contender.

The Reds have a chance to really hammer home the difference in class between the two squads despite all the money they have thrown around this summer.

Any opportunity to put a big rival down early in the season is a must-take chance as you never know when that breathing room will come in handy down the road.

Liverpool maintaining a perfect start in league play is obviously the priority, but if that comes at the expense of the Red Devils, I don't think anyone who supports Slot's men will say no to that.