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It is now appropriate to commence assessing Alexander Isak fairly as a record-breaking Liverpool centre forward, Arne Slot stated on Friday. As such, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s most expensive footballer sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the English top-flight title holders tried in vain to secure an leveler against Manchester United without them, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that warranted the fiercest blame at Anfield. The team's backline structure has evaporated.

Anonymous Display from Star Forwards

Indeed, Isak was mostly anonymous in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger again poor as his individual toils persisted versus the team he typically plunders. The Swedish international had his first attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s new goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Salah wasted a excellent second-half chance facing the home end and neither complain when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork on multiple occasions and somehow was unable to net a second shortly after the defender's winner.

Unthinkable Loss Despite Opportunities

It should have been impossible for Liverpool to be defeated in a game in which they generated so many opportunities, the manager claimed. But it is possible with a defence in this form, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now United have shown.

Backline Breakdown Under Pressure

As he presided over a fourth successive defeat as the club's head coach, the first man to achieve this after a previous manager in years past, Slot must have despaired at a defensive performance that allowed the visitors to seize control as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the same mistakes that Liverpool’s management had focused on solving following the international break, featuring another dead-ball goal, it was a display that totally undermined the champions’ after halftime recovery and lost them the match.

Advantage Lost Even with Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the home side when the substitute cancelled out the forward's early breakthrough. Liverpool could sense another late victory with substitutes one attacker, a midfielder and another forward igniting progress and United in defensive mode. Rather, it was a further last-gasp top-flight loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s dead-ball frailties resurfaced and Maguire found himself among several United members unmarked past the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Organized Opposition Excel

A thumping goal into the goal that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the best win of his turbulent club reign. Despite the negativity surrounding the coach it was his squad that performed with clear purpose and a well-executed plan for the majority of a compelling contest. The first back-to-back Premier League wins of the manager's time in charge were the result. Slot’s side again looked like strangers at times, particularly when conceding a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Quick Goal Reveals Defensive Flaws

The home side were lacking from the inception to the execution of the attacker's quick-fire first goal. There was little impact on the first header from the captain, a probable result of having to go through opponents to reach the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he received the ball and released the winger in open area on the right flank. the defender was late to react, Van Dijk slow to recover and mark the forward's run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could reasonably point to his head and wonder why the foul was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a contentious past, but also question the focus and coordination levels his backline. Mbeumo’s goal means the team have kept only a couple of clean sheets in a dozen games this season, the most recent occurring many matches previously at another ground.

Repeated Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open the left flank repeatedly in a opening period in which Fernandes, Mason Mount and also Gakpo all came close to doubling the visitors’ advantage. Sending the winger early against the full-back was clearly in Amorim’s strategy. It succeeded time and again in the opening 45 minutes. The £40 million new arrival from Bournemouth experienced another difficult evening in a club shirt. Throw-ins were also a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who almost put the forward in on goal while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at present.

Manager’s Analysis and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a many gambles,” Slot explained after the opposition's win. “Following the second half we had multiple attacking members on the pitch. This is perhaps why our structure for the set-piece was not as perfect 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. We know we have to improve.”