Arne Slot didn't hold back after Liverpool's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford, but the Reds boss knows his team's problems go far beyond one VAR decision.

The Dutch manager was visibly frustrated when Benjamin Sesko's 14th-minute strike—which put Manchester United 2-0 up—was allowed to stand despite a VAR check for a potential handball. "If it was a touch, which I think it is, in a ball sport it has a certain curve and it changes, it must be a contact," Slot said, banging his fist on the table during his post-match press conference. "Then we should have a debate if that is enough to disallow a goal."

But Slot quickly shifted focus to his own squad's shortcomings. "We didn't concede because of the handball. We lost it because we lost the ball in a stupid position, so we have to first look at ourselves," he admitted. "This is a complete pattern over the season, but there is also a pattern that we concede ridiculous goals."

The defeat—Liverpool's 18th in all competitions this season and 11th in the Premier League—underscores a dramatic fall from grace. Just a year after lifting the title, the Reds now face the very real possibility of finishing below Manchester United for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign. United, who finished 42 points adrift of Liverpool last season, completed a league double over their rivals for the first time since 2015-16.

For Liverpool fans, the "champions" chant from the away end at Old Trafford was a bittersweet reminder of what was, and a stark contrast to the work ahead. As the summer of change looms, Slot's message is clear: the blame game stops now. It's time to fix the fundamentals—starting with cutting out those "ridiculous goals" and rebuilding the defensive resilience that once defined this side.