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It is now appropriate to start judging Alexander Isak fairly as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, Arne Slot remarked on the weekend. As such, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest footballer sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to force an equaliser against Manchester United in their absence, it was not the manager's underperforming offence that earned the strongest blame at the stadium. His backline structure has vanished.

Quiet Display from Star Forwards

Yes, the Swedish striker was largely unnoticeable in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his difficulties continued against the club he often plunders. The Swedish international had his first shot on target in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the first half, smartly stopped by the opposition's new goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The forward missed a glorious second-half opportunity facing the Kop and neither protest when their substitution eventually. The Dutch attacker also hit the woodwork three times and somehow was unable to score a second shortly after Harry Maguire’s winner.

Unthinkable Defeat Despite Chances

It seemed impossible for the hosts to lose a game in which they created numerous opportunities, Slot claimed. But it is not impossible with a defence in this form, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now United have demonstrated.

Backline Breakdown During Scrutiny

While overseeing a fourth successive loss as the club's head coach, the first person to do so since a previous manager in years past, Slot must have despaired at a defence display that allowed the visitors to seize control as well as their initial win at Anfield since January 2016. Filled with the repeated issues that the team's coaching staff had worked on eradicating after the international break, including another set-piece goal, it was a performance that totally derailed the title holders' second half recovery and cost them the game.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the hosts when the substitute cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s quick opener. The Merseyside club could sense one more last-minute win with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and another forward igniting progress and United in defensive mode. Instead, it was another late Premier League defeat, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three United members unmarked past the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A powerful goal into the net that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s tie gave the United manager the best victory of his challenging club tenure. For all the negativity around Amorim it was his team that performed with definite plan and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a compelling contest. The first back-to-back league victories of Amorim’s time in charge were the outcome. The Liverpool side once more looked like unfamiliar at points, especially when allowing a dead-ball goal for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.

Quick Opener Exposes Backline Issues

Liverpool were exposed from the start to the execution of the attacker's quick-fire opener. There was no purchase on the first attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a probable consequence of having to pass two players to connect with the ball, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he received the ball and released the winger in space on the right. Milos Kerkez was slow to respond, the centre-back delayed to track back and follow Mbeumo’s run while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

The manager could justifiably point to his decisions and ask where the foul was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the focus and coordination levels his defenders. Mbeumo’s goal indicates Slot’s team have managed only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the last occurring eight games ago at Burnley.

Constant Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open the left flank frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and also Gakpo all nearly scored to doubling the visitors’ advantage. Releasing Diallo quickly versus the full-back was clearly in the manager's tactic. It succeeded repeatedly in the opening 45 minutes. The £40 million summer signing from his former club endured a further difficult evening in a club jersey. Throw-ins were even a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward through while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on not in sync at the moment.

Coach's Explanation and Admission

“We take a many gambles,” the head coach explained after the opposition's victory. “Following the second half we had six or seven attacking players on the pitch. This is maybe why our structure for the set-piece was less organized as we usually are. Normally we would have additional defending players on the field. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is no justification. We know we have to improve.”