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The time has come to start judging Alexander Isak equitably as a £125m Liverpool striker, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. Therefore, the assessment should be critical, but as Britain’s most expensive player was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight champions struggled to force an leveler against Manchester United in their absence, it was not Slot’s misfiring attack that earned the harshest criticism at Anfield. The team's backline structure has vanished.

Quiet Performance from Star Forwards

Indeed, the Swedish striker was mostly quiet in the No 9 role and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his personal struggles continued against the team he often scores against. The Sweden international had his initial attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the first half, well saved by the opposition's latest shot-stopper the young keeper. The forward wasted a golden after the break opportunity facing the Kop and could not protest when their substitution were shown. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to score a second shortly after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Unthinkable Defeat In Spite of Chances

It ought to have been impossible for Liverpool to be defeated in a match in which they generated so many chances, the manager stated. But it is not impossible with a defence in such condition, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and currently United have demonstrated.

Defensive Collapse Under Pressure

While overseeing a fourth consecutive defeat as Liverpool head coach, the first man to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, Slot must have felt dismayed at a defensive performance that invited United to take the initiative as well as their initial win at Anfield since January 2016. Filled with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s management had worked on solving following the pause, featuring yet another set-piece score, it was a performance that completely derailed the title holders' second half recovery and lost them the match.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute equalized the forward's quick opener. The Merseyside club could feel one more last-minute win with replacements one attacker, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa igniting progress and the opposition in defensive mode. Instead, it was a further late top-flight loss, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three opposition members unmarked behind Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Purposeful Rivals Outperform

A thumping goal into the goal that Maguire blazed over in the final moments of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest victory of his turbulent United reign. Despite the criticism around the coach it was his team that played with definite plan and a well-executed approach for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The first consecutive Premier League wins of Amorim’s reign were the result. Slot’s team again looked like strangers at times, especially when allowing a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.

Quick Opener Reveals Defensive Issues

The home side were exposed from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial attempt from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents to reach the ball, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he took possession and passed to the winger in open area on the right flank. the defender was late to react, Van Dijk delayed to track back and follow Mbeumo’s movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

The manager could justifiably question his decisions and ask where the foul was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a feisty history, but also question the concentration and communication among his backline. The forward's goal means the side have managed only a couple of shutouts in a dozen games this season, the most recent coming eight games previously at Burnley.

Constant Exploitation of Defensive Side

The visitors exposed the left flank frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and also the attacker all came close to doubling the away team's lead. Releasing Diallo quickly against Kerkez was clearly in the manager's strategy. It succeeded repeatedly in the opening half. The £40m summer signing from Bournemouth endured a further difficult match in a Liverpool jersey. Set-pieces were also a issue for Andy Robertson’s chosen successor, who almost put Mbeumo through while making one interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at the moment.

Manager’s Analysis and Acknowledgment

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot explained after United’s win. “Following the second half we had multiple 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 defending players on the pitch. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”