🔗 Share this article Defence Woes Pose Greater Challenge for Liverpool's Manager Compared to Getting Isak and Salah to Perform Now is the moment to start judging Alexander Isak fairly as a record-breaking Anfield attacker, the Liverpool head coach commented on Friday. Therefore, the assessment should be critical, but as the UK's highest-priced footballer was seated next to Mohamed Salah on the Reds substitutes while the English top-flight title holders struggled to secure an equaliser against their rivals without them, it was not the manager's underperforming attack that earned the harshest blame at the stadium. His defence has vanished. Anonymous Performance from Star Forwards Indeed, the Swedish striker was predominantly quiet in the No 9 position and Salah again poor as his personal struggles persisted against the club he typically scores against. The Sweden player had his first shot on target in the top division as a Liverpool member in the 35th minute, well saved by the opposition's latest shot-stopper Senne Lammens. The forward missed a glorious second-half chance in front of the home end and neither complain when their substitution were shown. The Dutch attacker also struck the woodwork three times and somehow failed to net a another goal shortly after the defender's decisive goal. Unthinkable Loss In Spite of Opportunities It should have been unthinkable for the hosts to be defeated in a game in which they created so many chances, the manager stated. But it is not impossible with a backline in this form, as Crystal Palace, Chelsea and currently Manchester United have proven. Backline Breakdown During Scrutiny While overseeing a fourth straight defeat as the club's manager, the first person to do so since a previous manager in years past, the coach must have been frustrated at a defensive performance that invited the visitors to dominate as well as their initial win at Anfield in nearly a decade. Littered with the repeated issues that the team's management had focused on fixing following the pause, featuring yet another dead-ball score, it was a performance that completely derailed the champions’ after halftime comeback and cost them the game. Momentum Squandered Despite Improvement Momentum was finally with the hosts when the substitute cancelled out the forward's quick opener. The Merseyside club could sense one more late win with substitutes Hugo Ekitiké, Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa sparking progress and the opposition in retreat. Rather, it was a further late top-flight loss, the third straight, after the team's dead-ball weaknesses resurfaced and the defender found himself among several opposition members unmarked past Ibrahima Konaté in the closing stages. Purposeful Opposition Outperform A thumping header into the goal that Maguire blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s 2-2 draw gave the United manager the finest victory of his turbulent club tenure. For all the criticism surrounding Amorim it was his team that played with obvious strategy and a well-executed approach for the majority of a compelling contest. The initial back-to-back Premier League victories of Amorim’s time in charge were the result. Slot’s team again appeared like unfamiliar at times, especially when allowing a dead-ball score for the fifth time in the Premier League this season. Quick Goal Reveals Backline Issues The home side were lacking from the start to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second first goal. There was no purchase on the initial attempt from Virgil van Dijk, a likely result of having to pass opponents to connect with the pass, to be fair, and no pressure on Bruno Fernandes when he received the ball and passed to the winger in open area on the right. Milos Kerkez was late to react, Van Dijk slow to track back and mark Mbeumo’s movement while Giorgi Mamardashvili, filling in for the unavailable first-choice keeper in goal, was easily beaten from the angle. Officiating and Focus Issues The manager could justifiably question his head and ask why the whistle was from the referee, an referee with whom he has a feisty history, but also question the concentration and coordination among his defenders. The forward's strike indicates Slot’s side have kept only two shutouts in a dozen games so far, the most recent coming many matches previously at another ground. Constant Exploitation of Left Flank The visitors carved open the left flank frequently in a opening period in which the midfielder, another player and even the attacker all nearly scored to doubling the away team's lead. Sending Diallo early against Kerkez was obviously part of the manager's gameplan. It worked repeatedly in the first half. The £40m summer signing from Bournemouth endured a further difficult match in a Liverpool shirt. Throw-ins were even a problem for Andy Robertson’s replacement, who nearly put Mbeumo in on goal while making one interception. Kerkez and Van Dijk seem on different wavelengths at the moment. Coach's Analysis and Admission “Our approach involves a many gambles,” the head coach explained following the opposition's victory. “After the 62nd minute we had multiple offensive players 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 more defensive players on the pitch. Maybe it is a coincidence but it is not an excuse. The team understands we have to improve.”