🔗 Share this article Defence Issues Pose Bigger Challenge for Slot Compared to Making Isak and Mohamed Salah to Score Now is the moment to start judging Alexander Isak justly as a record-breaking Anfield striker, Arne Slot remarked on Friday. As such, evaluation needs to be severe, but as the UK's costliest footballer sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool bench while the Premier League champions struggled to force an equaliser versus Manchester United without them, it was not the manager's misfiring offence that deserved the fiercest scrutiny at the stadium. His backline structure has vanished. Quiet Performance from Star Forwards Yes, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his difficulties persisted against the team he usually plunders. The Swedish international had his initial attempt on goal in the Premier League as a Reds member in the first half, smartly stopped by United’s latest goalkeeper the young keeper. The forward wasted a excellent second-half chance facing the Kop and could not complain when their numbers came up. The Dutch attacker also struck the crossbar on multiple occasions and somehow failed to score a second shortly after the defender's decisive goal. Unthinkable Defeat Despite Opportunities It seemed impossible for Liverpool to be defeated in a match in which they generated plenty of chances, the manager claimed. But it is possible with a defence in current state, as one opponent, another rival and currently Manchester United have demonstrated. Backline Collapse During Scrutiny While overseeing a fourth successive defeat as the club's head coach, the first man to achieve this after Brendan Rodgers in November 2014, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the repeated issues that the team's coaching staff had worked on eradicating after the pause, featuring yet another set-piece score, it was a display that completely undermined the title holders' second half comeback and cost them the game. Advantage Squandered Even with Uptick Momentum was at last with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out the forward's early opener. The Merseyside club could sense another last-minute victory with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, a midfielder and another forward sparking improvement and United in defensive mode. Rather, it was another last-gasp top-flight loss, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s set-piece frailties re-emerged and Maguire found himself among several opposition players free past Ibrahima Konaté in the 84th minute. Purposeful Opposition Outperform A powerful header into the goal that the player blazed over in the final moments of last season’s tie gave Ruben Amorim the finest win of his turbulent United tenure. Despite the negativity surrounding Amorim it was his team that played with clear purpose and a well-executed approach for the bulk of a thrilling contest. The initial consecutive Premier League wins of the manager's time in charge were the outcome. Slot’s side again looked like unfamiliar at times, especially when conceding a set-piece score for the fifth occasion in the Premier League this season. Quick Opener Reveals Defensive Issues Liverpool were found wanting from the inception to the finish of Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener. There was little impact on the initial attempt from the captain, a likely result of having to go through opponents to connect with the ball, to be fair, and no pressure on the playmaker when he received the ball and passed to Amad Diallo in space on the right. the defender was late to respond, Van Dijk delayed to track back and follow the forward's movement while the goalkeeper, filling in for the unavailable first-choice keeper in net, was easily beaten from the position. Refereeing and Focus Questions Slot could justifiably point to his decisions and wonder why the whistle was from the referee, an official with whom he has a contentious history, but also question the concentration and coordination among his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike indicates the side have kept only a couple of shutouts in 12 matches this season, the last occurring many matches ago at Burnley. Constant Exploitation of Defensive Side United carved open the left side repeatedly in a first half in which the midfielder, Mason Mount and also Gakpo all came close to doubling the visitors’ advantage. Releasing Diallo early against Kerkez was clearly in the manager's tactic. It worked time and again in the opening half. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth endured another difficult match in a club shirt. Set-pieces were also a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who almost sent the forward through while attempting an challenge. The defender and Van Dijk appear on different wavelengths at present. Coach's Explanation and Admission “Our approach involves a many gambles,” the head coach commented after the opposition's victory. “Following the second half we had multiple attacking players on the field. This is perhaps why our organization for the set-piece was less organized as we typically are. Normally we would have additional defending personnel on the field. Perhaps it is a fluke but it is no justification. The team understands we have to improve.”