🔗 Share this article Defence Woes Present Larger Concern for Slot Than Making Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah to Score It is now appropriate to commence assessing Alexander Isak equitably as a record-breaking Liverpool attacker, the Liverpool head coach remarked on Friday. In that case, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s most expensive player was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the Premier League champions struggled to secure an equaliser versus Manchester United without them, it was not the manager's misfiring forward line that deserved the strongest blame at the stadium. His defensive foundation has vanished. Quiet Performance from Star Forwards Yes, the Swedish striker was mostly unnoticeable in the centre-forward role and the Egyptian winger again poor as his individual toils persisted versus the club he often scores against. The Swedish international had his initial shot on target in the top division as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, smartly stopped by the opposition's latest goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The forward missed a glorious after the break opportunity facing the home end and neither protest when their substitution eventually. The Dutch attacker also hit the woodwork on multiple occasions and inexplicably was unable to score a another goal moments after Harry Maguire’s decisive goal. Unthinkable Defeat Despite Opportunities It ought to have been unthinkable for the hosts to be defeated in a match in which they generated so many chances, Slot remarked. But it is not impossible with a defence in such condition, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have shown. Defensive Breakdown Under Pressure As he presided over a fourth consecutive loss as the club's manager, the first man to do so since Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that allowed the visitors to seize control as well as their initial win at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the repeated issues that Liverpool’s coaching staff had focused on fixing after the international break, including another dead-ball score, it was a performance that completely derailed the champions’ second half recovery and lost them the match. Momentum Lost Despite Improvement Momentum was finally with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s quick breakthrough. Liverpool could feel one more late win with replacements one attacker, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa sparking improvement and United in retreat. Instead, it was a further late Premier League loss, the third in succession, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses re-emerged and Maguire found himself among several opposition members free past the centre-back in the 84th minute. Purposeful Rivals Excel A powerful goal into the net that the player blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s tie gave Ruben Amorim the finest win of his turbulent United reign. Despite the criticism surrounding the coach it was his team that played with definite plan and a smartly implemented approach for the bulk of a compelling encounter. The first back-to-back league wins of the manager's reign were the result. The Liverpool side again appeared like strangers at points, especially when conceding a dead-ball score for the fifth occasion in the Premier League this season. Quick Goal Exposes Backline Flaws Liverpool were lacking from the start to the execution of the attacker's 62-second opener. There was little impact on the initial attempt from the captain, a likely consequence of having to go through opponents to reach the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on the playmaker when he received the ball and released Amad Diallo in open area on the right. the defender was late to respond, the centre-back delayed to recover and follow the forward's run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the injured first-choice keeper in net, was easily beaten from the position. Officiating and Focus Issues The manager could reasonably point to his decisions and ask why the whistle was from Michael Oliver, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also question the concentration and communication levels his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike means Slot’s team have managed only two clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the most recent occurring eight games previously at Burnley. Repeated Exploitation of Left Flank The visitors exposed Liverpool’s left flank frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all came close to increasing the away team's advantage. Releasing the winger quickly against the full-back was obviously in the manager's gameplan. It worked time and again in the opening 45 minutes. The £40 million new arrival from Bournemouth experienced another tough evening in a Liverpool shirt. Throw-ins were even a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost put Mbeumo in on goal while making one interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at present. Coach's Analysis and Acknowledgment “Our approach involves a many risks,” 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 usually are. Usually we would have additional defensive players on the field. Maybe it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”