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Now is the moment to begin evaluating Alexander Isak equitably as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, the Liverpool head coach commented on Friday. As such, judgment must be harsh, but as the UK's costliest footballer was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to secure an equaliser against Manchester United in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that earned the fiercest scrutiny at the stadium. His backline structure has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Star Forwards

Yes, the Swedish striker was mostly anonymous in the No 9 role and the Egyptian winger subpar once more as his individual toils continued versus the team he typically plunders. The Sweden player had his first shot on target in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, well saved by the opposition's new goalkeeper the young keeper. Salah squandered a glorious after the break opportunity in front of the Kop and could not complain when their numbers were shown. The Dutch attacker also hit the crossbar on multiple occasions and somehow was unable to net a another goal shortly after the defender's winner.

Unthinkable Loss Despite Opportunities

It ought to have been impossible for the hosts to lose a game in which they created so many opportunities, Slot remarked. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as one opponent, Chelsea and now United have demonstrated.

Defensive Collapse During Scrutiny

While overseeing a fourth successive loss as the club's head coach, the first person to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their first victory at the ground in nearly a decade. Filled with the repeated issues that the team's management had worked on solving after the international break, including another set-piece goal, it was a display that completely undermined the title holders' second half recovery and cost them the match.

Advantage Lost Despite Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the home side when the substitute equalized the forward's early opener. Liverpool could sense one more late victory with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa sparking improvement and United in retreat. Rather, it was another last-gasp Premier League defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball frailties resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three opposition players unmarked behind the centre-back in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A powerful goal into the net that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's tie gave the United manager the best win of his challenging club reign. For all the criticism surrounding 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 Premier League victories of Amorim’s time in charge were the result. Slot’s team once more appeared like unfamiliar at times, particularly when allowing a set-piece goal for the fifth occasion in the division this season.

Early Opener Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were found wanting from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the initial header from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to pass opponents to reach the pass, to be fair, and no pressure on the playmaker when he received the ball and released the winger in space on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was late to respond, the centre-back slow to track back and follow the forward's movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the injured first-choice keeper in net, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

Slot could reasonably point to his decisions and wonder why the foul was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a contentious history, but also doubt the concentration and coordination levels his backline. Mbeumo’s goal indicates the team have kept only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches so far, the most recent coming many matches ago at Burnley.

Constant Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open the left flank frequently in a opening period in which Fernandes, Mason Mount and also Gakpo all came close to doubling the visitors’ lead. Sending Diallo quickly against Kerkez was obviously in Amorim’s tactic. It succeeded time and again in the opening half. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth endured a further tough match in a club jersey. Set-pieces were even a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward in on goal while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on not in sync at the moment.

Coach's Analysis and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a many gambles,” Slot commented after the opposition's victory. “Following the second half we had multiple attacking players on the pitch. That’s perhaps why our structure for the set-piece was not as perfect as we typically are. Normally we would have more defending players on the pitch. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”