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The time has come to start judging Alexander Isak fairly as a £125m Liverpool centre forward, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. Therefore, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest player sat next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight champions attempted unsuccessfully to secure an leveler versus their rivals without them, it was not the manager's misfiring attack that earned the harshest scrutiny at Anfield. His defence has evaporated.

Anonymous Display from Star Attackers

Yes, the Swedish striker was mostly quiet in the No 9 role and Salah disappointing again as his difficulties persisted versus the team he often scores against. The Sweden international had his first shot on target in the Premier League as a Reds member in the first half, excellently denied by the opposition's new goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The forward squandered a golden after the break chance facing the home end and could not complain when their numbers came up. The Dutch attacker also hit the woodwork three times and inexplicably was unable to score a second shortly after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Unthinkable Loss In Spite of Chances

It should have been impossible for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they created plenty of chances, the manager stated. But it is not impossible with a defence in this form, as one opponent, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have demonstrated.

Backline Collapse During Pressure

As he presided over a fourth straight loss as Liverpool manager, the first man to achieve this after a previous manager in years past, the coach must have despaired at a defence display that allowed United to dominate as well as their first victory at the ground in nearly a decade. Littered with the repeated issues that the team's management had worked on solving following the pause, including another dead-ball goal, it was a display that totally derailed the champions’ after halftime comeback and cost them the match.

Advantage Squandered Even with Uptick

The upper hand was at last with the home side when Gakpo cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s early breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense one more late victory with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and another forward sparking progress and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was a further late Premier League loss, the third in succession, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses re-emerged and Maguire found himself one of three opposition players free past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages.

Organized Rivals Excel

A thumping header into the net that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest victory of his challenging club tenure. Despite the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his squad that performed with definite plan and a smartly implemented plan for the majority of a thrilling contest. The initial consecutive league victories of the manager's time in charge were the result. The Liverpool team once more looked like strangers at times, particularly when allowing a set-piece score for the fifth time in the division this season.

Early Goal Exposes Defensive Issues

Liverpool were found wanting from the start to the finish of the attacker's 62-second first goal. There was little impact on the first header from the captain, a likely consequence of having to pass two players to connect with the ball, admittedly, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to the winger in space on the right. the defender was late to react, the centre-back slow to track back and follow the forward's run while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Concentration Issues

Slot could reasonably question his head and ask why the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the focus and coordination levels his backline. The forward's goal indicates the side have kept only a couple of shutouts in a dozen games so far, the most recent coming eight games previously at another ground.

Repeated Exploitation of Defensive Side

United carved open the left side frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and also the attacker all nearly scored to increasing the away team's lead. Sending Diallo early against Kerkez was clearly in the manager's strategy. It worked repeatedly in the opening half. The £40 million new arrival from Bournemouth experienced a further difficult evening in a club shirt. Throw-ins were even a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who nearly put the forward in on goal while attempting one challenge. Kerkez and the captain appear on not in sync at the moment.

Coach's Explanation and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a many gambles,” Slot commented after the opposition's victory. “Following the 62nd minute we had multiple attacking members on the pitch. That’s maybe why our structure for the set-piece was less organized as we usually are. Normally we would have additional defending personnel on the pitch. Perhaps it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. We know we have to improve.”