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The time has come to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a £125 million Liverpool attacker, Arne Slot commented on the weekend. Therefore, the assessment should be critical, but as Britain’s costliest player sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight champions struggled to secure an leveler versus Manchester United without them, it was not the manager's misfiring attack that earned the fiercest blame at Anfield. His backline structure has evaporated.

Quiet Performance from Key Attackers

Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger subpar once more as his individual toils persisted against the club he often plunders. The Sweden player had his first attempt on goal in the top division as a Reds member in the first half, excellently denied by United’s latest goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Salah wasted a glorious second-half chance in front of the Kop and neither protest when their substitution eventually. The Dutch attacker also hit the crossbar three times and somehow failed to score a another goal shortly after the defender's decisive goal.

Impossible Defeat Despite Opportunities

It seemed unthinkable for Liverpool to lose a match in which they created so many chances, Slot stated. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as one opponent, Chelsea and now United have shown.

Defensive Breakdown During Pressure

As he presided over a fourth straight loss as the club's manager, the first person to achieve this after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have felt dismayed at a backline effort that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at the ground in nearly a decade. Littered with the identical errors that the team's coaching staff had worked on fixing following the international break, including another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that totally undermined the champions’ second half recovery and lost them the match.

Momentum Lost Even with Improvement

Momentum was at last with the hosts when Gakpo equalized the forward's early breakthrough. The Merseyside club could feel one more last-minute victory with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa igniting improvement and United in retreat. Rather, it was a further late top-flight defeat, the third in succession, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself among several opposition players free behind Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A thumping goal into the goal that the player blazed over in the final moments of last season’s tie gave Ruben Amorim the best victory of his challenging club reign. Despite the criticism surrounding the coach it was his team that performed with obvious strategy and a well-executed approach for the majority of a compelling encounter. The initial back-to-back league wins of Amorim’s time in charge were the result. Slot’s side again appeared like unfamiliar at times, especially when allowing a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the division this season.

Early Goal Exposes Backline Issues

Liverpool were lacking from the inception to the finish of the attacker's quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial header from Virgil van Dijk, a probable result of having to pass two players 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 respond, Van Dijk delayed to track back and follow the forward's movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable first-choice keeper in net, was easily beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Issues

Slot could justifiably point to his decisions and wonder where the whistle was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a contentious past, but also question the concentration and coordination among his defenders. Mbeumo’s goal means Slot’s side have managed only two shutouts in 12 matches so far, the last occurring many matches ago at another ground.

Constant Targeting of Left Flank

United carved open Liverpool’s left flank repeatedly in a first half in which Fernandes, Mason Mount and even the attacker all nearly scored to increasing the visitors’ advantage. Sending the winger quickly versus the full-back was clearly part of Amorim’s tactic. It worked time and again in the first half. The £40 million new arrival from his former club experienced a further difficult evening in a club shirt. Set-pieces were also a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who nearly sent the forward in on goal while attempting an interception. Kerkez and the captain appear on not in sync at the moment.

Coach's Analysis and Acknowledgment

“We take a lot of risks,” Slot commented following the opposition's victory. “Following the second half we had six or seven offensive members on the field. That’s maybe why our organization for the set-piece was less organized as we typically are. Normally we would have more defensive personnel on the pitch. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. We know we have to do better.”