Defensive woes a bigger headache for Slot than getting Isak and Salah to fire | Andy Hunter

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The Sweden international had his first shot on target in the Premier League as a Liverpool player in the 35th minute, well saved by United’s latest goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Littered with the same mistakes that Liverpool’s coaching staff had worked on eradicating after the international break, including another set-piece goal, it was a display that completely derailed the champions’ second half recovery and cost them the game.Momentum was finally with the hosts when Gakpo cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s early breakthrough.

Instead it was another late Premier League defeat, the third in succession, after Liverpool’s set-piece frailties re-emerged and Maguire found himself one of three United players unmarked behind Ibrahima Konaté in the 84th minute.A thumping header into the goal that Maguire blazed over in the dying seconds of last season’s 2-2 draw gave Ruben Amorim the finest win of his turbulent United reign. Slot’s side again looked like strangers at times, particularly when conceding a set-piece goal for the fifth time in the Premier League this season.Liverpool were found wanting from the inception to the execution of Mbeumo’s 62-second opener.

Mbeumo’s strike means Slot’s team have kept only two clean sheets in 12 matches this season, the last coming eight games ago at Burnley.United carved open Liverpool’s left flank repeatedly in a first half in which Fernandes, Mason Mount and even Gakpo all came close to doubling the visitors’ lead. Kerkez and Van Dijk appear on different wavelengths at present.“We take a lot of risks,” Slot explained after United’s victory.