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It is now appropriate to begin evaluating Alexander Isak fairly as a record-breaking Liverpool centre forward, Arne Slot commented on Friday. As such, the assessment should be critical, but as Britain’s highest-priced player sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the English top-flight title holders tried in vain to secure an equaliser against Manchester United in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that earned the harshest criticism at Anfield. The team's backline structure has evaporated.

Anonymous Performance from Star Forwards

Indeed, Isak was largely unnoticeable in the No 9 role and the Egyptian winger again poor as his individual toils persisted versus the team he typically plunders. The Swedish player had his initial attempt on goal in the top division as a Liverpool member in the 35th minute, smartly stopped by United’s latest goalkeeper the young keeper. The forward squandered a golden second-half opportunity facing the home end and could not protest when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to score a another goal moments after the defender's winner.

Unthinkable Defeat Despite Opportunities

It seemed impossible for the hosts to be defeated in a match in which they created so many chances, the manager stated. But it is possible with a defence in this form, as one opponent, Chelsea and now Manchester United have proven.

Defensive Collapse During Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth straight defeat as Liverpool head coach, the first man to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, Slot must have despaired at a backline effort that invited the visitors to take the initiative as well as their initial win at the ground since January 2016. Filled with the repeated issues that the team's management had worked on solving following the international break, featuring yet another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that completely undermined the title holders' after halftime comeback and cost them the match.

Advantage Squandered Even with Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s early breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense another last-minute victory with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting improvement and the opposition in defensive mode. Instead, it was a further last-gasp Premier League loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three opposition members unmarked behind the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A thumping goal into the goal that Maguire missed in the final moments of the previous campaign's tie gave Ruben Amorim the best win of his turbulent United tenure. For all the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his team that played with obvious strategy and a smartly implemented plan for the bulk of a thrilling encounter. The first back-to-back Premier League victories of the manager's reign were the result. The Liverpool team again looked like strangers at times, especially when conceding a dead-ball score for the fifth occasion in the Premier League this season.

Quick Opener Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were found wanting from the start to the finish of the attacker's 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the first attempt from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through two players to connect with the ball, admittedly, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he took possession and released Amad Diallo in space on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was late to respond, the centre-back slow to recover and follow the forward's run while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Officiating and Concentration Questions

Slot could reasonably question his decisions and ask where the foul was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the concentration and coordination levels his backline. The forward's strike indicates Slot’s side have managed only two shutouts in a dozen games this season, the last coming many matches previously at Burnley.

Repeated Targeting of Defensive Side

The visitors exposed the left side repeatedly in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and also the attacker all nearly scored to increasing the away team's advantage. Sending the winger quickly against Kerkez was obviously part of Amorim’s strategy. It worked repeatedly in the first 45 minutes. The £40 million summer signing from Bournemouth endured another tough evening in a club jersey. Set-pieces were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s chosen successor, who nearly sent Mbeumo through while attempting one interception. Kerkez and the captain appear on not in sync at present.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot explained following the opposition's victory. “After the second half we had six or seven offensive members on the field. This is maybe why our structure for the dead-ball was less organized as we typically are. Usually we would have additional defensive players on the pitch. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. We know we have to improve.”