The Japan Times - Slot and Amorim under scrutiny in Liverpool-Man Utd showdown

AFP Sport looks at the challenge that faces both managers ahead of the hotly anticipated clash between English football's two most successful clubs.

Slot's first crisis

The Dutchman made the unenviable task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp look easy last season as Liverpool won the league with four games to spare, equalling United's record of 20 English top-flight titles.

Only once in Slot's debut campaign did Liverpool suffer back-to-back defeats and that came in exiting the Champions League and losing the League Cup final in March as a gruelling winter schedule took its toll.

The Reds were determined to build from a position of strength, ploughing a Premier League record of nearly £450 million ($604 million) into new signings in the transfer window.

Twice Liverpool smashed their own record transfer record for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

Yet neither has yet scored a Premier League goal for the Reds and the huge squad overhaul has disrupted last season's well-oiled machine.

Mohamed Salah has looked a shadow of his former self and even attracted criticism for his work rate off the ball in the build-up to Chelsea's late winner two weeks ago.

Despite winning their opening seven games of the season in all competitions, the warning signs were there for Slot.

Ragged performances were papered over by a series of late winners until Liverpool's luck ran out in narrow defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea.

Slot's men are just one point behind title rivals Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and with plenty of time to right the ship.

Extending United's winless streak at Anfield beyond a decade could provide the perfect pick-me-up for the champions.

But anything other than victory would raise serious questions over Slot's ability to get the best out of his new group of supremely talented individuals.

Amorim to be sacked 'sooner or later'?

Ruben Amorim was handed a stay of execution by a 2-0 win over Sunderland before the international break.

United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has even claimed the Portuguese coach has "three years" to prove himself, a statement that even Amorim knows does not wash.

"You know, I know and Jim knows that football is not like that," the former Sporting Lisbon boss said on Friday.

"It's good to feel the support but we need to prove in football, and especially in big clubs, that in every weekend we are ready to win games."

United begin the weekend in 10th place after three defeats in their opening seven league games and still licking their wounds from a shocking League Cup exit to fourth-tier Grimsby.

Despite another expensive summer overhaul of their forward line to the tune of £200 million, there has so far been little sign of progress.

Nearly a year after his appointment, Amorim is yet to win back-to-back Premier League games and has taken just 37 points from 34 league matches.

Ending that barren spell at Anfield would be his biggest win as United manager so far and firm evidence that he is capable of reviving the ailing English giants, even if many believe the writing is already on the wall.

"It (Amorim's sacking), is going to happen sooner or later," former United midfielder Nicky Butt told The Times. "I can't see it turning around."

M.Ito--JT