Arne Slot’s Liverpool suffered a fourth successive Premier League defeat, with defensive shortcomings overshadowing the misfiring form of record signing Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah. The 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Anfield exposed crumbling foundations at the back, as Slot’s side conceded a set-piece goal for the fifth time this season.
While Isak had his first shot on target as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute and Salah squandered a second-half chance, it was the defence that proved decisive. Slot admitted judgment on his £125m centre-forward must be harsh, but the real problems lay elsewhere. Cody Gakpo hit the woodwork three times and scored Liverpool’s equaliser, yet defensive errors allowed United to take the initiative.
Bryan Mbeumo’s 62-second opener came after poor defending from Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez, with Giorgi Mamardashvili beaten from an angle. Harry Maguire’s unmarked 84th-minute header sealed United’s first Anfield win since 2016. Slot’s side have kept only two clean sheets in 12 matches, with the last coming eight games ago.
The defeat marked Liverpool’s fourth consecutive loss under Slot, a feat last suffered by Brendan Rodgers in 2014. Set-piece frailties and a lack of communication between defenders, particularly Kerkez and Van Dijk, have derailed the champions’ momentum. Slot must now address a defensive crisis that has become a greater headache than any attacking woes.
