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It is now appropriate to begin evaluating Alexander Isak equitably as a £125m Anfield centre forward, the Liverpool head coach stated on the weekend. Therefore, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s highest-priced player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the Premier League title holders attempted unsuccessfully to force an equaliser against their rivals in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that warranted the harshest blame at the stadium. The team's defensive foundation has disappeared.

Anonymous Display from Star Attackers

Yes, Isak was predominantly unnoticeable in the centre-forward position and Salah subpar once more as his individual toils continued versus the club he typically scores against. The Swedish player had his initial attempt on goal in the top division as a Liverpool player in the first half, excellently denied by the opposition's new shot-stopper the young keeper. Salah missed a glorious second-half chance in front of the home end and could not protest when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork three times and inexplicably was unable to net a second moments after the defender's decisive goal.

Impossible Loss In Spite of Opportunities

It ought to have been impossible for Liverpool to lose a match in which they created numerous opportunities, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as one opponent, Chelsea and now Manchester United have shown.

Backline Breakdown Under Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth consecutive defeat as the club's manager, the first person to do so after a previous manager in years past, Slot must have been frustrated at a backline effort that invited United to dominate as well as their first victory at the ground in nearly a decade. Filled with the same mistakes that Liverpool’s management had worked on eradicating following the international break, including another set-piece score, it was a display that totally derailed the title holders' after halftime recovery and lost them the game.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the hosts when Gakpo equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s early breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense another late win with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and another forward igniting progress and United in defensive mode. Instead, it was a further last-gasp top-flight loss, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself among several opposition members free past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Excel

A thumping goal into the net that Maguire blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest victory of his challenging United reign. For all the negativity around the coach it was his squad that performed with definite plan and a well-executed approach for the majority of a thrilling contest. The first consecutive Premier League victories of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. The Liverpool side once more appeared like strangers at times, especially when conceding a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Early Opener Reveals Backline Flaws

Liverpool were found wanting from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial attempt from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents to connect with the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to the winger in open area on the right. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk delayed to recover and mark the forward's movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was easily beaten from the angle.

Officiating and Concentration Issues

The manager could reasonably question his decisions and wonder where the whistle was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the focus and communication among his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike means Slot’s side have managed only a couple of shutouts in 12 matches so far, the most recent occurring many matches ago at Burnley.

Repeated Targeting of Left Flank

United carved open Liverpool’s left flank frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all nearly scored to increasing the away team's lead. Releasing the winger quickly against Kerkez was obviously in Amorim’s tactic. It succeeded time and again in the opening half. The £40 million new arrival from Bournemouth endured another tough match in a Liverpool shirt. Set-pieces were even a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward through while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on not in sync at present.

Manager’s Analysis and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a lot of gambles,” Slot explained after the opposition's win. “After the second half we had six or seven offensive members on the pitch. That’s perhaps why our structure for the set-piece was less organized as we usually are. Normally we would have more defending personnel on the pitch. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”