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The time has come to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a £125m Anfield centre forward, Arne Slot remarked on Friday. Therefore, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest player sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the Premier League title holders tried in vain to secure an equaliser versus their rivals in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that earned the harshest scrutiny at the stadium. The team's defensive foundation has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Key Forwards

Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the No 9 position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his personal struggles persisted against the team he typically scores against. The Swedish international had his initial attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, excellently denied by the opposition's latest shot-stopper the young keeper. Salah squandered a excellent second-half opportunity in front of the home end and neither complain when their substitution eventually. The Dutch attacker also hit the woodwork three times and inexplicably was unable to net a another goal shortly after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Impossible Loss In Spite of Chances

It should have been impossible for Liverpool to be defeated in a game in which they generated numerous chances, Slot claimed. But it is not impossible with a backline in such condition, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have demonstrated.

Backline Collapse During Pressure

As he presided over a fourth straight loss as Liverpool head coach, the first man to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, Slot must have been frustrated at a backline effort that invited the visitors to take the initiative as well as their first victory at the ground since January 2016. Filled with the identical errors that Liverpool’s coaching staff had worked on fixing after the international break, featuring yet another dead-ball goal, it was a display that completely undermined the champions’ after halftime recovery and lost them the match.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

Momentum was at last with the home side when the substitute cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener. Liverpool could feel another last-minute victory with substitutes one attacker, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa sparking progress and the opposition in retreat. Rather, it was another late Premier League loss, the third in succession, after the team's set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself among several United members unmarked past Ibrahima Konaté in the 84th minute.

Organized Opposition Outperform

A powerful goal into the goal that Maguire blazed over in the final moments of last season’s tie gave the United manager the finest win of his challenging club tenure. Despite the criticism around the coach it was his squad that played with clear purpose and a well-executed approach for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The initial consecutive league victories of the manager's reign were the outcome. The Liverpool team again appeared like unfamiliar at times, especially when conceding a dead-ball score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Early Goal Exposes Backline Flaws

The home side were found wanting from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener. There was little impact on the first header from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to go through two players to connect with the pass, admittedly, and no pressure on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to the winger in open area on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was late to react, the centre-back slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the injured Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Questions

The manager could reasonably point to his decisions and ask where the foul was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a contentious past, but also doubt the focus and communication levels his backline. The forward's strike means the side have managed only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches so far, the last occurring eight games previously at another ground.

Repeated Exploitation of Defensive Side

United carved open the left side frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all came close to increasing the away team's lead. Releasing the winger early against Kerkez was obviously in Amorim’s gameplan. It succeeded time and again in the first half. The £40 million new arrival from his former club endured a further difficult evening in a Liverpool shirt. Set-pieces were even a issue for Andy Robertson’s chosen successor, who nearly put the forward in on goal while making one interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk appear on different wavelengths at the moment.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“We take a many gambles,” Slot explained following the opposition's victory. “After the second half we had six or seven offensive players on the field. This is perhaps why our structure for the dead-ball was less organized as we usually are. Usually we would have additional defensive personnel on the pitch. Maybe it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to do better.”