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Now is the moment to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a £125m Anfield centre forward, the Liverpool head coach commented on the weekend. In that case, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's most expensive footballer was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the Premier League champions tried in vain to force an equaliser against Manchester United in their absence, it was not the manager's misfiring forward line that earned the harshest blame at Anfield. His defence has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Key Attackers

Yes, Isak was mostly unnoticeable in the No 9 position and Salah again poor as his personal struggles persisted against the club he typically plunders. The Swedish international had his initial attempt on goal in the top division as a Liverpool player in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s latest goalkeeper the young keeper. Salah wasted a glorious second-half opportunity in front of the Kop and could not protest when their numbers eventually. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to net a second shortly after the defender's winner.

Impossible Defeat In Spite of Opportunities

It should have been unthinkable for Liverpool to be defeated in a game in which they generated so many opportunities, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a backline in such condition, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now Manchester United have shown.

Defensive Breakdown Under Pressure

While overseeing a fourth straight loss as Liverpool manager, the first person to achieve this since Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, Slot must have been frustrated at a defence display that allowed the visitors to dominate as well as their first victory at the ground since January 2016. Littered with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s management had focused on eradicating after the international break, featuring yet another set-piece score, it was a display that totally undermined the title holders' second half comeback and lost them the match.

Advantage Lost Even with Uptick

Momentum was finally with the home side when Gakpo cancelled out the forward's early opener. Liverpool could feel another late victory with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and another forward sparking improvement and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was another last-gasp top-flight defeat, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three opposition players free behind the centre-back in the closing stages.

Purposeful Rivals Excel

A powerful goal into the goal that the player missed in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest win of his turbulent club reign. For all the criticism surrounding Amorim it was his team that performed with obvious strategy and a smartly implemented plan for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The first back-to-back Premier League victories of the manager's reign were the result. Slot’s team once more looked like unfamiliar at points, especially when allowing a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Quick Goal Exposes Backline Flaws

The home side were lacking from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the first header from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to pass opponents to connect with the ball, admittedly, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and released Amad Diallo in space on the right flank. Milos Kerkez was late to react, the centre-back delayed to recover and follow Mbeumo’s run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured Alisson in net, was easily beaten from the angle.

Officiating and Focus Issues

Slot could justifiably question his decisions and wonder why the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty past, but also question the concentration and communication among his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike indicates Slot’s team have kept only two shutouts in a dozen games this season, the last coming eight games previously at Burnley.

Constant Targeting of Left Flank

United carved open the left flank frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all nearly scored to increasing the away team's advantage. Sending the winger early against Kerkez was obviously in the manager's gameplan. It worked repeatedly in the first 45 minutes. The £40 million summer signing from his former club endured a further tough evening in a club shirt. Set-pieces were also a problem for the previous player's replacement, who almost put Mbeumo through while attempting one interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at the moment.

Coach's Analysis and Admission

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot explained following United’s victory. “After the 62nd minute we had multiple attacking players on the field. This is perhaps why our structure for the dead-ball was less organized as we typically are. Usually we would have additional defending players on the pitch. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is no justification. The team understands we have to do better.”