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Now is the moment to commence assessing Alexander Isak equitably as a £125m Liverpool attacker, Arne Slot remarked on the weekend. In that case, evaluation needs to be severe, but as the UK's costliest player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the English top-flight title holders attempted unsuccessfully to force an leveler against their rivals without them, it was not Slot’s misfiring forward line that deserved the strongest scrutiny at Anfield. His defence has disappeared.

Anonymous Performance from Key Forwards

Yes, Isak was predominantly unnoticeable in the No 9 position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his individual toils persisted against the team he often scores against. The Swedish player had his initial attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Reds player in the 35th minute, well saved by United’s latest shot-stopper Senne Lammens. The forward squandered a glorious after the break chance in front of the Kop and could not complain when their substitution came up. Cody Gakpo also struck the crossbar on multiple occasions and inexplicably failed to score a another goal shortly after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal.

Unthinkable Loss In Spite of Opportunities

It should have been unthinkable for Liverpool to lose a match in which they created numerous opportunities, the manager stated. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as Crystal Palace, another rival and now Manchester United have shown.

Defensive Collapse Under Pressure

As he presided over a fourth consecutive loss as the club's manager, the first man to do so after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that invited the visitors to take the initiative as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the repeated issues that the team's coaching staff had focused on eradicating following the international break, featuring another set-piece goal, it was a performance that completely undermined the title holders' after halftime recovery and lost them the game.

Momentum Squandered Even with Improvement

The upper hand was finally with the hosts when the substitute cancelled out the forward's early opener. The Merseyside club could sense one more late victory with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and another forward sparking progress and United in defensive mode. Instead, it was another late Premier League defeat, the third straight, after Liverpool’s dead-ball weaknesses re-emerged and Maguire found himself one of three United members unmarked past the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A powerful goal into the goal that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of the previous campaign's tie gave the United manager the best win of his challenging United reign. Despite the criticism surrounding the coach it was his squad that played with obvious strategy and a well-executed approach for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The initial back-to-back Premier League victories of Amorim’s time in charge were the outcome. The Liverpool team again appeared like strangers at times, particularly when conceding a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the division this season.

Quick Goal Exposes Defensive Flaws

The home side were found wanting from the start to the finish of the attacker's 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the initial attempt from the captain, a likely result of having to go through two players to connect with the pass, admittedly, and no pressure on the playmaker when he took possession and released Amad Diallo in open area on the right. Milos Kerkez was slow to react, Van Dijk slow to recover and follow Mbeumo’s run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was easily beaten from the position.

Officiating and Concentration Issues

Slot could reasonably point to his head and wonder where the foul was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the focus and coordination among his backline. The forward's goal means the team have managed only two shutouts in 12 matches this season, the most recent coming many matches previously at Burnley.

Constant Exploitation of Left Flank

The visitors carved open the left side frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and also Gakpo all came close to increasing the visitors’ lead. Sending Diallo quickly against the full-back was obviously part of the manager's tactic. It worked time and again in the first half. The £40m summer signing from Bournemouth experienced another difficult evening in a club shirt. Throw-ins were even a problem for Andy Robertson’s chosen successor, who almost sent Mbeumo in on goal while making one interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk appear on different wavelengths at the moment.

Coach's Analysis and Admission

“We take a many risks,” Slot explained after United’s victory. “After the 62nd minute we had multiple attacking players on the pitch. That’s maybe why our structure for the dead-ball was less organized as we usually are. Usually we would have more defending players on the pitch. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is no justification. We know we have to do better.”