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Now is the moment to start judging Alexander Isak fairly as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, Arne Slot stated on Friday. Therefore, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's costliest player was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the Premier League title holders attempted unsuccessfully to force an equaliser versus Manchester United without them, it was not the manager's misfiring forward line that deserved the strongest blame at Anfield. His defence has disappeared.

Quiet Performance from Key Forwards

Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly unnoticeable in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his individual toils continued against the team he usually plunders. The Swedish international had his first shot on target in the top division as a Reds member in the first half, excellently denied by the opposition's latest shot-stopper Senne Lammens. Salah missed a glorious after the break chance in front of the Kop and neither complain when their numbers were shown. The Dutch attacker also struck the crossbar on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to net a second shortly after Harry Maguire’s winner.

Unthinkable Defeat Despite Chances

It should have been impossible for the hosts to lose a match in which they created plenty of chances, Slot remarked. But it is not impossible with a backline in this form, as Crystal Palace, another rival and now Manchester United have shown.

Backline Breakdown During Scrutiny

While overseeing a fourth successive defeat as Liverpool head coach, the first man to achieve this after a previous manager in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defensive performance that invited the visitors to take the initiative as well as their initial win at the ground since January 2016. Littered with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on eradicating following the pause, featuring another set-piece goal, it was a display that totally derailed the champions’ second half recovery and cost them the game.

Momentum Lost Despite Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute equalized the forward's quick breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense one more last-minute victory with replacements one attacker, a midfielder and another forward igniting improvement and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was a further late Premier League defeat, the third straight, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself among several United members unmarked behind Ibrahima Konaté in the 84th minute.

Organized Opposition Outperform

A thumping goal into the net that the player blazed over in the final moments of the previous campaign's tie gave Ruben Amorim the finest victory of his turbulent club reign. Despite the negativity surrounding the coach it was his team that played with clear purpose and a smartly implemented plan for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first back-to-back league wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s team once more appeared like unfamiliar at points, particularly when conceding a dead-ball goal for the fifth occasion in the Premier League this season.

Quick Opener Exposes Backline Issues

Liverpool were found wanting from the inception to the finish of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener. There was little impact on the initial header 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 received the ball and passed to the winger in open area on the right flank. the defender was slow to respond, Van Dijk slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was easily beaten from the position.

Officiating and Focus Issues

The manager could justifiably point to his decisions and wonder why the foul was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a contentious past, but also question the concentration and communication levels his backline. The forward's strike means Slot’s side have kept only two shutouts in a dozen games so far, the most recent coming eight games previously at another ground.

Constant Exploitation of Defensive Side

United exposed the left flank frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all nearly scored to doubling the away team's advantage. Sending Diallo quickly versus Kerkez was obviously in Amorim’s gameplan. It succeeded repeatedly in the opening 45 minutes. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth experienced a further tough match in a Liverpool shirt. Set-pieces were also a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who nearly put the forward through while making an interception. The defender and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at the moment.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a lot of risks,” the head coach commented following the opposition's victory. “Following the 62nd minute we had multiple attacking players on the field. This is maybe why our organization for the dead-ball was not as perfect as we usually are. Normally we would have additional defending personnel on the pitch. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. We know we have to do better.”