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The time has come to start judging Alexander Isak equitably as a record-breaking Anfield striker, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. In that case, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest player was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the Premier League champions tried in vain to force an leveler against their rivals in their absence, it was not Slot’s underperforming forward line that warranted the strongest criticism at Anfield. His backline structure has vanished.

Quiet Display from Key Attackers

Yes, Isak was mostly anonymous in the No 9 position and Salah disappointing again as his personal struggles continued versus the team he typically scores against. The Sweden player had his first attempt on goal in the top division as a Reds player in the first half, well saved by United’s latest shot-stopper the young keeper. Salah squandered a golden second-half opportunity facing the home end and neither complain when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar three times and somehow failed to score a another goal moments after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Impossible Loss Despite Opportunities

It seemed impossible for the hosts to lose a match in which they generated plenty of opportunities, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now Manchester United have demonstrated.

Defensive Collapse Under Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth straight defeat as the club's head coach, the first person to do so after a previous manager in November 2014, Slot must have felt dismayed at a defensive performance that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at Anfield since January 2016. Littered with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s coaching staff had worked on solving following the pause, featuring another dead-ball score, it was a display that completely derailed the champions’ after halftime recovery and lost them the game.

Momentum Lost Despite Uptick

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s quick breakthrough. Liverpool could sense another last-minute win with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting improvement and United in defensive mode. Rather, it was another last-gasp Premier League defeat, the third straight, after the team's set-piece weaknesses re-emerged and Maguire found himself one of three United players free past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Organized Opposition Excel

A thumping header into the goal that Maguire missed in the final moments of the previous campaign's tie gave Ruben Amorim the best win of his challenging club tenure. Despite the criticism surrounding the coach it was his team that played with obvious strategy and a well-executed approach for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The initial back-to-back league victories of Amorim’s time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s team again appeared like unfamiliar at points, especially when conceding a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Quick Goal Exposes Backline Flaws

Liverpool were exposed from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the first attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a probable consequence of having to pass two players to reach the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and released the winger in space on the right. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk slow to recover and mark Mbeumo’s movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could reasonably point to his decisions and ask where the foul was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also doubt the concentration and coordination levels his backline. Mbeumo’s strike means the team have kept only a couple of shutouts in a dozen games this season, the most recent occurring eight games previously at Burnley.

Constant Exploitation of Left Flank

The visitors exposed Liverpool’s left flank frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all came close to increasing the visitors’ lead. Sending the winger early against Kerkez was obviously part of Amorim’s gameplan. It worked time and again in the opening 45 minutes. The £40 million summer signing from Bournemouth experienced a further difficult evening in a Liverpool shirt. Throw-ins were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who nearly put Mbeumo in on goal while attempting an interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk appear on not in sync at present.

Manager’s Explanation and Admission

“We take a many gambles,” the head coach explained following the opposition's win. “Following the second half we had multiple offensive players on the pitch. That’s maybe why our organization for the set-piece was less organized as we usually are. Normally we would have more defending personnel on the field. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to improve.”