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Now is the moment to begin evaluating Alexander Isak justly as a £125m Liverpool centre forward, Arne Slot stated on the weekend. As such, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's highest-priced player sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the English top-flight title holders struggled to force an equaliser against their rivals without them, it was not the manager's underperforming offence that deserved the harshest blame at the stadium. His defensive foundation has disappeared.

Quiet Performance from Key Attackers

Indeed, the Swedish striker was mostly anonymous in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his individual toils persisted against the team he typically scores against. The Swedish international had his first attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Liverpool member in the first half, well saved by the opposition's new goalkeeper the young keeper. Salah wasted a glorious after the break chance in front of the Kop and neither protest when their numbers eventually. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork three times and inexplicably failed to score a second shortly after the defender's winner.

Impossible Loss Despite Chances

It should have been unthinkable for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they created plenty of chances, Slot stated. But it is not impossible with a backline in current state, as Crystal Palace, another rival and currently United have shown.

Defensive Collapse During Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth consecutive defeat as Liverpool manager, the first man to achieve this since a previous manager in November 2014, Slot must have despaired at a defence display that allowed United to dominate as well as their initial win at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the same mistakes that Liverpool’s coaching staff had worked on solving after the international break, featuring yet another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that completely derailed the title holders' after halftime comeback and lost them the match.

Advantage Lost Despite Uptick

Momentum was at last with the home side when Gakpo cancelled out the forward's early breakthrough. Liverpool could feel another late win with replacements one attacker, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa sparking progress and the opposition in retreat. Rather, it was another late top-flight loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses re-emerged and the defender found himself one of three United members free past the centre-back in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Excel

A powerful header into the net that the player blazed over in the final moments of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the best win of his challenging club reign. For all the negativity around the coach it was his squad that performed with obvious strategy and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first consecutive Premier League wins of Amorim’s time in charge were the outcome. The Liverpool team again appeared like strangers at points, especially when allowing a set-piece score for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.

Early Goal Exposes Backline Flaws

The home side were lacking from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire first goal. There was little impact on the initial header from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through two players to connect with the ball, admittedly, and no pressure on the playmaker when he received the ball and passed to the winger in open area on the right flank. the defender was late to respond, the centre-back slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured Alisson in goal, was easily beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could justifiably point to his head and ask where the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty history, but also question the focus and communication levels his backline. The forward's strike means the team have kept only two shutouts in a dozen games so far, the most recent coming eight games ago at another ground.

Repeated Targeting of Left Flank

The visitors exposed the left flank frequently in a first half in which Fernandes, another player and also Gakpo all came close to increasing the visitors’ lead. Sending the winger quickly versus Kerkez was obviously part of the manager's strategy. It succeeded time and again in the opening half. The £40m summer signing from his former club endured a further tough evening in a Liverpool jersey. Set-pieces were even a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who almost put the forward through while attempting one interception. Kerkez and the captain seem on different wavelengths at present.

Coach's Explanation and Admission

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot commented after United’s victory. “Following the 62nd minute we had six or seven attacking players on the pitch. This is maybe why our structure for the dead-ball was not as perfect as we typically are. Normally we would have more defensive players on the field. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to improve.”