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It is now appropriate to start judging Alexander Isak equitably as a £125 million Liverpool striker, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. As such, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s most expensive footballer was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight title holders tried in vain to secure an equaliser versus their rivals in their absence, it was not Slot’s underperforming attack that warranted the harshest blame at Anfield. His backline structure has vanished.

Anonymous Display from Star Forwards

Indeed, the Swedish striker was largely quiet in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger subpar once more as his personal struggles continued versus the team he often plunders. The Sweden international had his first attempt on goal in the top division as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, excellently denied by United’s new shot-stopper the young keeper. The forward missed a golden second-half chance in front of the home end and neither complain when their substitution were shown. Cody Gakpo also hit the crossbar on multiple occasions and inexplicably failed to score a another goal shortly after the defender's winner.

Impossible Defeat In Spite of Opportunities

It should have been impossible for Liverpool to lose a match in which they created numerous chances, Slot claimed. But it is not impossible with a defence in current state, as one opponent, another rival and now United have proven.

Defensive Collapse During Pressure

While overseeing a fourth consecutive defeat as the club's manager, the first man to achieve this since Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a backline effort that invited United to take the initiative as well as their first victory at the ground in nearly a decade. Littered with the same mistakes that Liverpool’s coaching staff had worked on solving after the international break, including another dead-ball goal, it was a display that totally undermined the champions’ after halftime recovery and cost them the match.

Advantage Lost Despite Uptick

Momentum was finally with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out the forward's early breakthrough. Liverpool could feel another late win with replacements one attacker, a midfielder and another forward sparking improvement and United in retreat. Instead, it was a further late top-flight defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball frailties re-emerged and the defender found himself among several opposition players free behind the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Organized Opposition Excel

A thumping goal into the goal that Maguire missed in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the best victory of his turbulent United reign. For all the criticism surrounding Amorim it was his team that performed with obvious strategy and a well-executed plan for the majority of a thrilling contest. The first back-to-back league wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s side once more looked like strangers at times, especially when conceding a dead-ball goal for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.

Early Goal Reveals Backline Issues

The home side were exposed from the start to the execution of the attacker's 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the initial attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to go through opponents to connect with the pass, admittedly, and little challenge on the playmaker when he received the ball and released the winger in space on the right. the defender was slow to respond, the centre-back slow to recover and follow the forward's run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the injured first-choice keeper in goal, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could reasonably question his decisions and wonder where the foul was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a contentious past, but also doubt the focus and coordination among his backline. The forward's strike means the side have managed only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the most recent coming many matches previously at Burnley.

Constant Targeting of Left Flank

United exposed the left side frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all nearly scored to doubling the away team's advantage. Releasing Diallo quickly against the full-back was clearly part of Amorim’s gameplan. It succeeded time and again in the opening 45 minutes. The £40 million summer signing from Bournemouth experienced another tough match in a club shirt. Set-pieces were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent Mbeumo in on goal while making one challenge. Kerkez and Van Dijk appear on different wavelengths at the moment.

Coach's Explanation and Admission

“We take a lot of gambles,” the head coach explained following United’s victory. “Following the second half we had multiple offensive players on the pitch. This is maybe why our structure for the set-piece was less organized as we usually are. Usually we would have more defensive personnel on the field. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to do better.”