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The time has come to start judging Alexander Isak justly as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, Arne Slot commented on the weekend. Therefore, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s costliest footballer was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to force an leveler versus Manchester United in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring attack that warranted the fiercest criticism at the stadium. His defensive foundation has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Key Attackers

Yes, the Swedish striker was mostly anonymous in the centre-forward position and Salah subpar once more as his difficulties continued versus the team he usually scores against. The Swedish international had his first shot on target in the top division as a Liverpool member in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s latest shot-stopper the young keeper. Salah squandered a excellent second-half opportunity facing the Kop and neither complain when their substitution came up. The Dutch attacker also struck the crossbar three times and inexplicably was unable to net a another goal moments after the defender's decisive goal.

Unthinkable Defeat Despite Chances

It ought to have been impossible for Liverpool to lose a match in which they generated plenty of chances, the manager claimed. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as one opponent, Chelsea and now Manchester United have shown.

Backline Breakdown During Pressure

As he presided over a fourth consecutive loss as Liverpool manager, the first man to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that allowed United to take the initiative as well as their initial win at Anfield since January 2016. Filled with the identical errors that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on fixing following the pause, featuring yet another set-piece score, it was a performance that totally derailed the title holders' after halftime recovery and lost them the game.

Momentum Squandered Even with Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute equalized the forward's early opener. Liverpool could feel another last-minute win with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting progress and the opposition in defensive mode. Rather, it was a further late Premier League loss, the third in succession, after the team's set-piece frailties resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three United players unmarked behind Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A powerful header into the net that Maguire blazed over in the final moments of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the best victory of his challenging club tenure. For all the criticism around the coach it was his squad that performed with obvious strategy and a well-executed approach for the majority of a thrilling contest. The initial consecutive league wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. The Liverpool team again appeared like strangers at points, especially when conceding a dead-ball goal for the fifth occasion in the Premier League the current campaign.

Quick Goal Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were found wanting from the start to the finish of Mbeumo’s quick-fire first goal. There was little impact on the first header from the captain, a probable consequence of having to pass opponents to reach the pass, admittedly, and no pressure on the playmaker when he received the ball and passed to Amad Diallo in space on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was slow to respond, Van Dijk slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured first-choice keeper in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

The manager could justifiably question his decisions and wonder why the foul was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also question the focus and coordination levels his defenders. The forward's strike means the team have managed only a couple of shutouts in 12 matches so far, the most recent occurring many matches previously at another ground.

Repeated Exploitation of Left Flank

The visitors exposed Liverpool’s left side frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all nearly scored to doubling the visitors’ lead. Releasing Diallo early versus Kerkez was clearly part of Amorim’s tactic. It succeeded time and again in the first 45 minutes. The £40m summer signing from his former club endured another difficult match in a club jersey. Throw-ins were even a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent Mbeumo in on goal while attempting an interception. The defender and Van Dijk appear on not in sync at present.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot commented after United’s win. “After the 62nd minute 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. Normally we would have more defending personnel on the field. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is no justification. We know we have to improve.”