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It is now appropriate to start judging Alexander Isak fairly as a £125m Anfield centre forward, Arne Slot commented on the weekend. As such, evaluation needs to be severe, but as the UK's most expensive player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the English top-flight champions struggled to force an equaliser versus their rivals in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring attack that earned the strongest scrutiny at Anfield. The team's defence has vanished.

Quiet Performance from Star Forwards

Indeed, Isak was predominantly anonymous in the No 9 position and the Egyptian winger subpar once more as his difficulties persisted versus the club he usually plunders. The Swedish player had his initial shot on target in the top division as a Reds player in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s new shot-stopper Senne Lammens. Salah squandered a excellent second-half opportunity facing the home end and could not complain when their numbers came up. The Dutch attacker also struck the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to net a another goal shortly after Harry Maguire’s winner.

Impossible Loss In Spite of Opportunities

It should have been unthinkable for Liverpool to be defeated in a match in which they generated plenty of chances, the manager stated. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as Crystal Palace, another rival and currently United have demonstrated.

Backline Collapse Under Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth consecutive loss as Liverpool head coach, the first man to do so since Brendan Rodgers in years past, Slot must have despaired 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 repeated issues that Liverpool’s management had focused on eradicating following the pause, including another dead-ball score, it was a performance that totally undermined the champions’ after halftime recovery and cost them the game.

Advantage Squandered Despite Improvement

Momentum was at last with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s quick opener. Liverpool could sense another late victory with substitutes one attacker, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa sparking progress and the opposition in defensive mode. Rather, it was another late top-flight loss, the third in succession, after the team's dead-ball frailties resurfaced and Maguire found himself among several opposition members free past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Excel

A thumping header into the net that the player missed in the final moments of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest victory of his turbulent club reign. Despite the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his team that played with clear purpose and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a compelling contest. The initial back-to-back league wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s team once more appeared like strangers at times, particularly when conceding a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the division this season.

Early Opener Exposes Defensive Issues

The home side were exposed from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the initial attempt from the captain, a probable consequence of having to go through opponents to reach the ball, admittedly, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he took possession and released the winger in space on the right. the defender was slow to react, Van Dijk slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s run while the goalkeeper, deputising for the injured Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Officiating and Concentration Questions

Slot could reasonably point to his head and wonder where the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a contentious history, but also doubt the focus and coordination among his defenders. Mbeumo’s goal means Slot’s side have managed only two clean sheets in a dozen games so far, the last occurring eight games previously at Burnley.

Constant Exploitation of Defensive Side

The visitors carved open Liverpool’s left side frequently in a first half in which Fernandes, another player and also Gakpo all nearly scored to doubling the visitors’ lead. Releasing Diallo early versus Kerkez was clearly in the manager's gameplan. It succeeded time and again in the first half. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth experienced another difficult evening in a club jersey. Throw-ins were also a problem for the previous player's replacement, who nearly sent the forward through while making one challenge. Kerkez and the captain appear on different wavelengths at present.

Coach's Explanation and Admission

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot commented after United’s victory. “Following the second half we had multiple attacking players on the field. That’s maybe why our organization for the dead-ball was less organized as we usually are. Usually we would have more defending players on the field. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is no justification. The team understands we have to do better.”