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It is now appropriate to begin evaluating Alexander Isak fairly as a £125 million Anfield centre forward, the Liverpool head coach stated on the weekend. Therefore, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest footballer was seated alongside Mohamed Salah on the Reds bench while the English top-flight title holders attempted unsuccessfully to force an equaliser versus their rivals in their absence, it was not the manager's underperforming forward line that earned the fiercest scrutiny at the stadium. The team's backline structure has disappeared.

Quiet Display from Key Forwards

Yes, the Swedish striker was largely quiet in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger subpar once more as his personal struggles persisted against the team he often scores against. The Swedish international had his first attempt on goal in the top division as a Reds player in the first half, excellently denied by the opposition's latest shot-stopper Senne Lammens. The forward squandered a golden after the break chance in front of the Kop and could not complain when their substitution were shown. The Dutch attacker also struck the woodwork three times and inexplicably was unable to net a another goal shortly after the defender's winner.

Impossible Loss Despite Chances

It seemed impossible for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they generated plenty of chances, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as one opponent, Chelsea and now Manchester United have shown.

Defensive Collapse Under Pressure

While overseeing a fourth consecutive defeat as the club's head coach, the first person to achieve this after a previous manager in November 2014, the coach must have felt dismayed at a defence display that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at the ground in nearly a decade. Filled with the same mistakes that the team's coaching staff had worked on fixing following the pause, including another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that completely derailed the champions’ after halftime comeback and cost them the game.

Advantage Squandered Even with Uptick

Momentum was at last with the hosts when Gakpo equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener. The Merseyside club could feel another last-minute victory with substitutes one attacker, Curtis Jones and another forward sparking progress and the opposition in retreat. Instead, it was a further last-gasp top-flight defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself among several United players free behind the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A powerful goal into the net that the player missed in the final moments of the previous campaign's 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest win of his turbulent United reign. For all the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his team that played with definite plan and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a thrilling contest. The first back-to-back league victories of the manager's reign were the outcome. Slot’s team again appeared like strangers at times, particularly when allowing a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the division the current campaign.

Quick Opener Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were exposed from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the initial attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to pass two players to reach the ball, admittedly, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to Amad Diallo in space on the right. Milos Kerkez was slow to react, Van Dijk delayed to track back and mark the forward's movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the unavailable first-choice keeper in goal, was comfortably beaten from the position.

Refereeing and Focus Questions

The manager could reasonably question his decisions and ask why the whistle was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a feisty history, but also question the focus and coordination levels his backline. Mbeumo’s strike means Slot’s team have kept only a couple of shutouts in a dozen games this season, the most recent coming many matches ago at Burnley.

Constant Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open the left side frequently in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all came close to increasing the away team's lead. Sending Diallo quickly against the full-back was obviously in the manager's strategy. It worked repeatedly in the opening half. The £40m summer signing from Bournemouth experienced another tough match in a Liverpool jersey. Throw-ins were also a issue for the previous player's chosen successor, who almost put the forward through while making one interception. The defender and the captain seem on not in sync at present.

Manager’s Explanation and Acknowledgment

“We take a lot of gambles,” Slot commented following United’s win. “Following the second half we had six or seven attacking members on the pitch. That’s maybe why our organization for the dead-ball was less organized as we typically are. Usually we would have additional defensive personnel on the pitch. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to do better.”