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It is now appropriate to commence assessing Alexander Isak justly as a record-breaking Liverpool attacker, Arne Slot commented on Friday. As such, judgment must be harsh, but as Britain’s costliest footballer was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the Premier League champions attempted unsuccessfully to force an equaliser against their rivals without them, it was not the manager's underperforming attack that warranted the strongest blame at the stadium. His backline structure has vanished.

Quiet Performance from Key Attackers

Indeed, Isak was mostly quiet in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger again poor as his difficulties persisted versus the club he often plunders. The Swedish international had his initial shot on target in the top division as a Reds member in the 35th minute, excellently denied by United’s new goalkeeper the young keeper. The forward wasted a golden after the break chance in front of the home end and neither complain when their substitution were shown. Cody Gakpo also hit the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably failed to net a second moments after Harry Maguire’s winner.

Unthinkable Loss In Spite of Opportunities

It seemed impossible for Liverpool to be defeated in a game in which they created so many chances, the manager remarked. But it is possible with a defence in current state, as one opponent, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have proven.

Backline Collapse Under Scrutiny

As he presided over a fourth successive defeat as the club's manager, the first person to achieve this after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, Slot must have felt dismayed at a backline effort that allowed United to dominate as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s management had focused on eradicating after the pause, featuring yet another dead-ball score, it was a performance that totally derailed the champions’ second half comeback and cost them the game.

Advantage Squandered Even with Improvement

Momentum was at last with the hosts when the substitute cancelled out the forward's quick opener. The Merseyside club could sense one more late victory with replacements Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and Federico Chiesa igniting progress and United in defensive mode. Instead, it was another late top-flight loss, the third straight, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and Maguire found himself one of three United players unmarked past the centre-back in the 84th minute.

Organized Rivals Outperform

A thumping goal into the goal that the player missed in the final moments of the previous campaign's tie gave the United manager the best win of his challenging club reign. Despite the negativity around Amorim it was his squad that played with clear purpose and a smartly implemented approach for the majority of a thrilling encounter. The first back-to-back Premier League victories of the manager's time in charge were the result. The Liverpool side again looked like strangers at points, particularly when conceding a set-piece score for the fifth time in the Premier League the current campaign.

Early Goal Exposes Backline Issues

The home side were lacking from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial header from Virgil van Dijk, a probable result of having to pass opponents to connect with the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to the winger in space on the right. the defender was slow to respond, the centre-back delayed to recover and mark the forward's movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the injured first-choice keeper in goal, was easily beaten from the position.

Officiating and Concentration Questions

Slot could reasonably question his decisions and ask where the foul was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also doubt the concentration and communication levels his backline. The forward's goal indicates the team have kept only two clean sheets in 12 matches so far, the last coming eight games ago at Burnley.

Constant Exploitation of Defensive Side

The visitors exposed the left flank frequently in a opening period in which Fernandes, another player and also Gakpo all came close to doubling the away team's lead. Releasing the winger early against the full-back was obviously in Amorim’s tactic. It succeeded time and again in the first 45 minutes. The £40 million new arrival from his former club endured a further difficult match in a club shirt. Set-pieces were even a issue for the previous player's chosen successor, who nearly put the forward through while making one interception. The defender and the captain seem on different wavelengths at the moment.

Coach's Explanation and Admission

“We take a many gambles,” the head coach explained following United’s win. “After the second half we had six or seven attacking members on the pitch. This is maybe why our structure for the dead-ball was not as perfect as we typically are. Usually we would have additional defensive players on the pitch. Maybe it is a fluke but it is no justification. We know we have to do better.”