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It is now appropriate to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a £125 million Anfield striker, Arne Slot remarked on the weekend. Therefore, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's costliest player sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to secure an leveler against their rivals without them, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that deserved the harshest criticism at Anfield. The team's backline structure has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Star Forwards

Yes, the Swedish striker was mostly unnoticeable in the No 9 position and the Egyptian winger again poor as his individual toils persisted versus the team he typically scores against. The Sweden player had his initial shot on target in the top division as a Reds player in the 35th minute, well saved by United’s new shot-stopper the young keeper. Salah squandered a golden after the break chance in front of the Kop and could not complain when their numbers were shown. Cody Gakpo also hit the crossbar three times and inexplicably failed to score a second shortly after the defender's decisive goal.

Impossible Defeat In Spite of Opportunities

It should have been impossible for Liverpool to lose a game in which they generated numerous chances, the manager stated. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as one opponent, another rival and currently Manchester United have demonstrated.

Backline Collapse During Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth consecutive defeat as the club's head coach, the first person to achieve this since a previous manager in years past, the coach must have despaired at a defence display that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their first victory at the ground since January 2016. Littered with the repeated issues that the team's management had focused on solving following the international break, including another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that totally undermined the champions’ second half comeback and cost them the match.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

The upper hand was at last with the home side when Gakpo cancelled out the forward's early breakthrough. Liverpool could feel another late victory with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones and another forward sparking improvement and the opposition in retreat. Rather, it was a further last-gasp Premier League defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball frailties resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three United players unmarked past the centre-back in the closing stages.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A thumping header into the goal that the player blazed over in the final moments of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw 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 clear purpose and a well-executed plan for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first consecutive Premier League wins of Amorim’s time in charge were the result. Slot’s team again looked like unfamiliar at points, especially when allowing a dead-ball goal for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.

Quick Opener Reveals Backline Flaws

Liverpool were exposed from the inception to the execution of the attacker's 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the initial attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to go through opponents to reach the pass, admittedly, and no pressure on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and released the winger in open area on the right. Milos Kerkez was slow to react, the centre-back delayed to track back and follow the forward's movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable first-choice keeper in goal, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

The manager could justifiably question his decisions and ask why the whistle was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also doubt the concentration and coordination among his defenders. Mbeumo’s goal means Slot’s team have managed only two clean sheets in a dozen games so far, the last coming eight games ago at another ground.

Constant Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open Liverpool’s left flank frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, another player and also Gakpo all nearly scored to increasing the away team's lead. Releasing the winger quickly against the full-back was obviously part of Amorim’s tactic. It succeeded repeatedly in the opening half. The £40m summer signing from Bournemouth experienced another tough evening in a Liverpool shirt. Set-pieces were also a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward through while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk appear on not in sync at the moment.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“We take a many gambles,” Slot commented following the opposition's win. “After the 62nd minute we had six or seven offensive players on the pitch. That’s maybe why our organization for the set-piece was less organized as we typically are. Usually we would have additional defending personnel on the pitch. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to improve.”