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It is now appropriate to start judging Alexander Isak equitably as a £125 million Anfield striker, Arne Slot remarked on the weekend. In that case, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s most expensive footballer sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the Premier League champions attempted unsuccessfully to force an leveler against their rivals without them, it was not Slot’s misfiring forward line that deserved the strongest criticism at the stadium. The team's defence has vanished.

Anonymous Display from Star Forwards

Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his personal struggles persisted versus the team he typically plunders. The Swedish player had his initial shot on target in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the first half, smartly stopped by the opposition's new shot-stopper Senne Lammens. Salah missed a glorious second-half chance in front of the Kop and could not protest when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also struck the woodwork three times and inexplicably was unable to net a another goal moments after the defender's decisive goal.

Impossible Loss Despite Chances

It should have been unthinkable for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they created so many opportunities, Slot stated. But it is not impossible with a defence in such condition, as one opponent, another rival and now United have shown.

Defensive Collapse During Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth successive loss as Liverpool manager, the first man to achieve this since a previous manager in years past, Slot must have despaired 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 same mistakes that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on fixing after the pause, including another dead-ball goal, it was a display that totally derailed the title holders' after halftime comeback and cost them the game.

Momentum Lost Even with Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute equalized the forward's early breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense another late win with replacements one attacker, a midfielder and another forward igniting improvement and the opposition in retreat. Rather, it was another last-gasp Premier League loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself among several opposition members unmarked past the centre-back in the closing stages.

Organized Opposition Outperform

A powerful goal into the goal that Maguire missed in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the best victory of his challenging club tenure. For all the negativity around Amorim it was his squad that played with obvious strategy and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first consecutive Premier League victories of the manager's time in charge were the result. Slot’s team again looked like unfamiliar at times, especially when conceding a dead-ball goal for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Quick Goal Exposes Backline Flaws

The home side were found wanting from the inception to the execution of the attacker's 62-second opener. There was little impact on the initial header from Virgil van Dijk, a likely consequence of having to pass opponents to connect with the ball, to be fair, and no pressure on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and released the winger in open area on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was slow to respond, the centre-back slow to track back and mark the forward's run while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Issues

Slot could reasonably point to his head and ask where the foul was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also doubt the concentration and coordination among his defenders. Mbeumo’s goal means the team have kept only a couple of clean sheets in 12 matches so far, 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 even the attacker all came close to increasing the visitors’ advantage. Sending Diallo quickly versus Kerkez was obviously in the manager's gameplan. It worked repeatedly in the first 45 minutes. The £40m new arrival from his former club experienced a further difficult match in a club jersey. Set-pieces were also a issue for Andy Robertson’s chosen successor, who almost put Mbeumo through while making an interception. The defender and the captain appear on not in sync at the moment.

Coach's Analysis and Admission

“We take a lot of gambles,” the head coach explained after the opposition's victory. “After the 62nd minute we had six or seven offensive players on the field. That’s perhaps why our structure for the dead-ball was not as perfect as we usually are. Normally we would have additional defending players on the field. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to do better.”