🔗 Share this article

It is now appropriate to commence assessing Alexander Isak fairly as a record-breaking Liverpool centre forward, Arne Slot remarked on Friday. As such, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s highest-priced footballer was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the Premier League champions struggled to secure an equaliser versus their rivals without them, it was not the manager's misfiring forward line that warranted the fiercest scrutiny at Anfield. The team's defensive foundation has vanished.

Quiet Display from Star Forwards

Yes, Isak was largely quiet in the No 9 position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his personal struggles continued against the club he often plunders. The Swedish international had his initial shot on target in the top division as a Reds player in the first half, excellently denied by United’s new goalkeeper the young keeper. Salah missed a golden second-half opportunity facing the home end and could not protest when their substitution were shown. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar on multiple occasions and somehow was unable to score a another goal shortly after Harry Maguire’s winner.

Unthinkable Loss In Spite of Chances

It seemed unthinkable for Liverpool to be defeated in a match in which they generated numerous opportunities, the manager claimed. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as Crystal Palace, another rival and currently United have proven.

Backline Collapse Under Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth straight loss as Liverpool head coach, the first man to do so after a previous manager in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that invited United to dominate as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the identical errors that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on solving after the international break, featuring yet another dead-ball score, it was a performance that totally undermined the title holders' after halftime comeback and cost them the game.

Advantage Squandered Despite Uptick

The upper hand was finally with the home side when the substitute equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener. Liverpool could feel one more late victory with replacements one attacker, Curtis Jones and another forward igniting improvement and United in retreat. Instead, it was another last-gasp Premier League loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three United members free past the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A thumping goal into the net that the player missed in the final moments of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest win of his turbulent club reign. For all the criticism surrounding Amorim it was his team that performed with definite plan and a well-executed plan for the bulk of a thrilling encounter. The first back-to-back league victories of the manager's reign were the outcome. Slot’s team once more looked like strangers at points, particularly when allowing a set-piece score for the fifth time in the division this season.

Quick Goal Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were lacking from the inception to the execution of the attacker's 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the initial header from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents to connect with the pass, admittedly, and little challenge on the playmaker when he received the ball and passed to Amad Diallo in open area on the right. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk delayed to track back and follow Mbeumo’s run while the goalkeeper, deputising for the injured Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could reasonably question his head and wonder why the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also question the concentration and communication among his defenders. The forward's goal means Slot’s side have kept only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the last coming eight games previously at another ground.

Repeated Exploitation of Defensive Side

United carved open Liverpool’s left flank frequently in a opening period in which Fernandes, another player and also the attacker all came close to doubling the away team's lead. Sending the winger early against Kerkez was clearly part of the manager's gameplan. It worked time and again in the opening half. The £40m summer signing from his former club experienced a further tough evening in a Liverpool shirt. Throw-ins were even a problem for the previous player's replacement, who nearly put Mbeumo in on goal while attempting an challenge. Kerkez and the captain appear on not in sync at present.

Coach's Analysis and Admission

“We take a many risks,” the head coach commented after the opposition's victory. “After the second half we had multiple attacking members 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 players on the field. Maybe it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. We know we have to do better.”