🔗 Share this article Defence Problems Pose Larger Headache for Liverpool's Manager Compared to Making Alexander Isak and Salah to Perform Now is the moment to begin evaluating Alexander Isak fairly as a £125m Anfield attacker, the Liverpool head coach remarked on the weekend. In that case, evaluation needs to be severe, but as Britain’s most expensive player sat alongside Mohamed Salah on the Liverpool substitutes while the Premier League champions attempted unsuccessfully to secure an leveler against their rivals without them, it was not Slot’s misfiring offence that earned the strongest criticism at Anfield. His defence has disappeared. Quiet Display from Star Attackers Yes, Isak was predominantly quiet in the centre-forward position and the Egyptian winger disappointing again as his individual toils continued versus the club he often scores against. The Swedish international had his first shot on target in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, smartly stopped by United’s latest shot-stopper the young keeper. The forward squandered a golden second-half opportunity in front of the Kop and neither complain when their substitution were shown. The Dutch attacker also hit the crossbar three times and inexplicably failed to score a second shortly after Harry Maguire’s winner. Impossible Defeat Despite Chances It should have been impossible for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they created numerous chances, Slot remarked. But it is possible with a defence in such condition, as one opponent, another rival and currently Manchester United have proven. Backline Collapse During Scrutiny While overseeing a fourth consecutive defeat as the club's manager, the first man to achieve this since Brendan Rodgers in years past, the coach must have been frustrated at a defence display that invited United to take the initiative as well as their first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Filled with the identical errors that Liverpool’s management had focused on solving following the international break, featuring yet another dead-ball goal, it was a performance that completely derailed the champions’ after halftime comeback and cost them the match. Advantage Lost Even with Improvement Momentum was at last with the home side when the substitute equalized Bryan Mbeumo’s quick breakthrough. The Merseyside club could sense another last-minute victory with replacements one attacker, Curtis Jones and another forward igniting progress and United in retreat. Instead, it was a further late Premier League defeat, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s set-piece weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself one of three United members free past the centre-back in the 84th minute. Purposeful Opposition Excel A powerful goal into the net that Maguire blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s tie gave the United manager the finest victory of his challenging club tenure. Despite the negativity around Amorim it was his team that performed with obvious strategy and a well-executed plan for the majority of a compelling encounter. The initial consecutive league wins of Amorim’s reign were the outcome. The Liverpool side once more appeared like strangers at times, especially when allowing a dead-ball goal for the fifth time in the division the current campaign. Early Goal Reveals Defensive Flaws Liverpool were exposed from the start to the finish of the attacker's 62-second opener. There was no purchase on the first header from the captain, a likely result of having to go through two players to connect with the pass, to be fair, and little challenge on Bruno Fernandes when he took possession and passed to the winger in space on the right. the defender was late to react, Van Dijk slow to track back and mark the forward's run while Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the unavailable Alisson in goal, was comfortably beaten from the angle. Officiating and Concentration Questions Slot could reasonably question his decisions and wonder where the whistle was from Michael Oliver, an official with whom he has a contentious history, but also doubt the concentration and communication among his defenders. Mbeumo’s strike means the team have kept only a couple of shutouts in 12 matches this season, the most recent occurring many matches ago at another ground. Repeated Targeting of Left Flank United carved open Liverpool’s left flank repeatedly in a first half in which Fernandes, another player and even Gakpo all came close to doubling the visitors’ lead. Sending Diallo early versus Kerkez was obviously part of the manager's tactic. It succeeded time and again in the first 45 minutes. The £40m new arrival from Bournemouth endured another tough match in a Liverpool jersey. Set-pieces were even a issue for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who nearly put the forward in on goal while making one interception. Kerkez and the captain seem on not in sync at present. Coach's Explanation and Acknowledgment “Our approach involves a lot of gambles,” Slot explained following the opposition's victory. “After the 62nd minute we had six or seven offensive players on the pitch. This is perhaps why our organization for the dead-ball was not as perfect as we typically are. Usually we would have more defensive personnel on the pitch. Maybe it is a fluke but it is not an excuse. We know we have to do better.”