🔗 Share this article

It is now appropriate to start judging Alexander Isak equitably as a £125 million Anfield striker, Arne Slot remarked on the weekend. As such, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's highest-priced player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the English top-flight champions tried in vain to secure an equaliser versus Manchester United in their absence, it was not Slot’s misfiring forward line that deserved the harshest criticism at the stadium. The team's backline structure has disappeared.

Quiet Performance from Star Attackers

Yes, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his personal struggles persisted versus the club he usually plunders. The Sweden player had his initial attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the first half, smartly stopped by the opposition's latest goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The forward wasted a excellent second-half chance facing the Kop and could not complain when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar three times and somehow failed to net a second moments after the defender's decisive goal.

Unthinkable Defeat Despite Opportunities

It seemed impossible for Liverpool to lose a game in which they created plenty of opportunities, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a backline in current state, as one opponent, Chelsea and now United have shown.

Defensive Collapse During Scrutiny

While overseeing a fourth successive loss as the club's head coach, the first man to achieve this after a previous manager in years past, Slot must have been frustrated at a defensive performance that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at the ground in nearly a decade. Littered with the identical errors that the team's coaching staff had focused on solving following the international break, featuring another set-piece score, it was a performance that totally undermined the champions’ second half comeback and cost them the match.

Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement

Momentum was at last with the home side when the substitute equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s quick opener. Liverpool could feel one more late victory with substitutes one attacker, a midfielder and another forward sparking improvement and United in retreat. Rather, it was another late top-flight defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three opposition players free behind the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Purposeful Opposition Outperform

A thumping goal into the goal that Maguire blazed over in the final moments of last season’s 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest victory of his challenging United tenure. For all the negativity surrounding the coach it was his team that played with clear purpose and a well-executed approach for the bulk of a compelling contest. The initial back-to-back Premier League wins of the manager's reign were the outcome. Slot’s side again looked like strangers at points, particularly when allowing a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the Premier League the current campaign.

Early Goal Exposes Defensive Issues

Liverpool were lacking from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire first goal. There was little impact on the first attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents 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 flank. Milos Kerkez was slow to respond, Van Dijk delayed to recover and mark Mbeumo’s run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the angle.

Officiating and Concentration Issues

Slot could justifiably point to his head and wonder why the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the concentration and communication levels his defenders. The forward's strike indicates the team have managed only two clean sheets in 12 matches so far, the most recent coming eight games previously at another ground.

Constant Targeting of Defensive Side

United carved open Liverpool’s left flank 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 the winger early versus the full-back was obviously in Amorim’s strategy. It worked time and again in the first half. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth endured a further difficult match in a Liverpool jersey. Throw-ins were even a problem for the previous player's chosen successor, who nearly put the forward in on goal while attempting an challenge. The defender and Van Dijk seem on not in sync at the moment.

Manager’s Analysis and Acknowledgment

“Our approach involves a many risks,” Slot commented after the opposition's victory. “After the 62nd minute we had multiple offensive 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 defensive personnel on the pitch. Maybe it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. We know we have to improve.”