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Now is the moment to begin evaluating Alexander Isak equitably as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. In that case, evaluation needs to be severe, but as the UK's costliest player sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to force an leveler versus their rivals in their absence, it was not Slot’s underperforming offence that warranted the strongest scrutiny at Anfield. The team's backline structure has vanished.

Anonymous Performance from Star Attackers

Yes, Isak was predominantly anonymous in the centre-forward position and Salah again poor as his difficulties continued versus the club he usually scores against. The Swedish international had his first shot on target in the top division as a Reds member in the 35th minute, well saved by the opposition's new shot-stopper Senne Lammens. Salah missed a excellent after the break opportunity facing the Kop and neither protest when their substitution were shown. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork three times and somehow failed to score a second moments after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Unthinkable Defeat In Spite of Opportunities

It seemed impossible for Liverpool to lose a game in which they generated numerous chances, the manager remarked. But it is not impossible with a defence in this form, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now United have shown.

Backline Collapse During Pressure

While overseeing a fourth straight loss as Liverpool manager, the first person to do so since Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a backline effort that invited the visitors to take the initiative as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Littered with the identical errors that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on eradicating after the pause, including another set-piece score, it was a performance that totally undermined the champions’ second half recovery and cost them the match.

Momentum Lost Despite Improvement

Momentum was at last with the home side when the substitute equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener. Liverpool could feel another last-minute win with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting progress and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was a further last-gasp Premier League loss, the third straight, after the team's set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three opposition players unmarked behind the centre-back in the closing stages.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A powerful goal into the net that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest victory of his turbulent United tenure. Despite the negativity around the coach it was his squad that played with clear purpose and a smartly implemented plan for the bulk of a thrilling encounter. The initial consecutive Premier League wins of Amorim’s reign were the outcome. The Liverpool team again appeared like strangers at points, particularly when conceding a dead-ball goal for the fifth time in the division the current campaign.

Quick Opener Exposes Defensive Flaws

The home side were lacking from the start to the execution of the attacker's quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial header from the captain, a probable result of having to pass opponents to connect with the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he took possession and passed to Amad Diallo in space on the right. the defender was slow to react, the centre-back slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured first-choice keeper in net, was easily beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

The manager could reasonably question his head and wonder why the whistle was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty past, but also question the focus and communication levels his defenders. The forward's goal indicates Slot’s team have kept only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the most recent occurring eight games ago at Burnley.

Repeated Targeting of Defensive Side

The visitors exposed the left flank frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and also the attacker all nearly scored to doubling the away team's advantage. Releasing Diallo quickly against the full-back was clearly in Amorim’s gameplan. It succeeded time and again in the first 45 minutes. The £40 million new arrival from his former club experienced a further difficult evening in a Liverpool shirt. Set-pieces were also a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who nearly put Mbeumo in on goal while making an interception. Kerkez and the captain appear on different wavelengths at the moment.

Manager’s Analysis and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a many gambles,” the head coach explained following United’s win. “After the second half we had six or seven attacking members on the pitch. This is perhaps why our organization for the dead-ball was less organized as we typically are. Usually we would have more defending players on the pitch. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to improve.”