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The time has come to begin evaluating Alexander Isak justly as a £125m Anfield attacker, the Liverpool head coach stated on the weekend. Therefore, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s highest-priced player sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the Premier League title holders tried in vain to secure an equaliser against their rivals in their absence, it was not Slot’s underperforming attack that warranted the strongest blame at the stadium. The team's backline structure has vanished.

Anonymous Performance from Star Attackers

Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly anonymous in the No 9 position and Salah disappointing again as his personal struggles continued versus the club he typically scores against. The Sweden player had his first attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Reds player in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s latest shot-stopper Senne Lammens. The forward wasted a golden second-half opportunity in front of the home end and neither complain when their numbers eventually. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar three times and inexplicably failed to score a second shortly after the defender's decisive goal.

Unthinkable Defeat In Spite of Chances

It ought to have been unthinkable for the hosts to lose a match in which they created numerous chances, Slot stated. But it is possible with a defence in this form, as one opponent, Chelsea and currently United have demonstrated.

Defensive Breakdown During Pressure

While overseeing a fourth consecutive loss as the club's head coach, the first man to do so since Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a backline effort that invited United to seize control as well as their initial win at Anfield since January 2016. Filled with the same mistakes that the team's coaching staff had focused on solving following the international break, including yet another set-piece goal, it was a performance that totally undermined the title holders' after halftime comeback and cost them the match.

Momentum Lost Despite Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the home side when Gakpo equalized the forward's quick breakthrough. Liverpool could feel one more late win with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting progress and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was another last-gasp top-flight loss, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball frailties resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three opposition members free past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A powerful header into the net that the player blazed over in the final moments of last season’s 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest win of his challenging United tenure. For all the criticism around the coach it was his squad that performed with obvious strategy and a smartly implemented approach for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The initial back-to-back Premier League wins of Amorim’s reign were the result. Slot’s team once more appeared like strangers at points, especially when conceding a dead-ball score for the fifth time in the division this season.

Early Goal Exposes Defensive Flaws

Liverpool were found wanting from the start to the finish of the attacker's quick-fire first goal. There was no purchase on the first attempt from the captain, a probable result of having to pass two players to connect with the ball, to be fair, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he took possession and released Amad Diallo in open area on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk delayed to recover and follow the forward's movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the injured first-choice keeper in goal, was easily beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

Slot could justifiably point to his decisions and wonder why the foul was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a contentious history, but also doubt the focus and communication levels his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike means the team have managed only a couple of shutouts in 12 matches so far, the last occurring eight games ago at Burnley.

Repeated Exploitation of Left Flank

The visitors carved open the left flank frequently in a opening period in which Fernandes, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all came close to doubling the away team's advantage. Releasing the winger quickly against Kerkez was obviously in the manager's gameplan. It succeeded time and again in the first half. The £40 million new arrival from Bournemouth endured a further difficult match in a Liverpool jersey. Throw-ins were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost put the forward through while attempting one interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at present.

Manager’s Analysis and Admission

“We take a many risks,” Slot commented after the opposition's victory. “After the second half we had six or seven attacking players on the pitch. That’s maybe why our structure for the set-piece was not as perfect as we usually are. Normally we would have more defending players on the field. Maybe it is a fluke but it is no justification. We know we have to do better.”