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The time has come to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a record-breaking Liverpool attacker, the Liverpool head coach stated on Friday. In that case, judgment must be harsh, but as the UK's highest-priced player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the Premier League champions tried in vain to secure an leveler versus Manchester United without them, it was not Slot’s misfiring offence that warranted the harshest blame at Anfield. The team's defensive foundation has evaporated.

Quiet Performance from Star Forwards

Yes, the Swedish striker was largely unnoticeable in the centre-forward position and Salah disappointing again as his individual toils persisted against the team he typically scores against. The Swedish player had his first shot on target in the top division as a Liverpool member in the 35th minute, smartly stopped by the opposition's latest goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Salah wasted a golden after the break opportunity in front of the Kop and neither complain when their substitution eventually. The Dutch attacker also struck the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to score a another goal shortly after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Unthinkable Loss Despite Chances

It seemed unthinkable for the hosts to lose a match in which they generated plenty of opportunities, Slot claimed. But it is possible with a defence in current state, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have shown.

Defensive Collapse Under Pressure

As he presided over a fourth consecutive loss as the club's head coach, the first man to achieve this after a previous manager in November 2014, Slot must have despaired at a backline effort that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at the ground since January 2016. Filled with the identical errors that the team's coaching staff had worked on fixing after the pause, including another set-piece goal, it was a performance that totally derailed the champions’ second half recovery and cost them the game.

Momentum Squandered Even with Uptick

The upper hand was at last with the home side when the substitute cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener. Liverpool could sense another late win with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones and another forward igniting improvement and the opposition in defensive mode. Instead, it was another last-gasp Premier League defeat, the third in succession, after the team's dead-ball frailties re-emerged and the defender found himself among several United players free behind the centre-back in the closing stages.

Purposeful Rivals Excel

A powerful header into the net that the player missed in the final moments of the previous campaign's tie gave the United manager the finest win of his challenging United tenure. Despite the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his squad that played with clear purpose and a smartly implemented plan for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first consecutive league wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s team once more looked like strangers at times, particularly when conceding a dead-ball score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Early Opener Reveals Defensive Issues

The home side were found wanting from the inception to the finish of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the first attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents to connect with the ball, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he took possession and released the winger in space on the right. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk slow to track back and follow Mbeumo’s movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the unavailable Alisson in net, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Refereeing and Focus Issues

The manager could justifiably question his head and wonder where the foul was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a contentious history, but also doubt the focus and coordination among his defenders. The forward's strike indicates the team have kept only a couple of shutouts in a dozen games this season, the last occurring many matches ago at another ground.

Repeated Exploitation of Left Flank

United exposed Liverpool’s left side repeatedly in a first half in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all came close to increasing the visitors’ lead. Releasing Diallo early versus Kerkez was obviously in the manager's strategy. It succeeded repeatedly in the opening half. The £40 million summer signing from his former club experienced another tough match in a club jersey. Throw-ins were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward through while making an challenge. Kerkez and the captain appear on different wavelengths at the moment.

Manager’s Explanation and Admission

“Our approach involves a many gambles,” Slot commented after United’s win. “Following the 62nd minute we had multiple offensive members on the field. This is perhaps 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 fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”