🔗 Share this article

Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool endured a sixth defeat in seven Premier League games on their own turf against Forest and insisted he would discover a way out of the champions’ poor run.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest win at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club fell to an eighth defeat in eleven matches in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was again anonymous and the home side contended Murillo’s opener ought to have been disallowed for comparable grounds to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort against City before the national team pause. But Slot admitted the responsibility rested with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to listen to me now talking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine myself first and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can change the flow of a match. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a strike. Later we barely created any chances.

“Of course there is a path forward, particularly with the talented players we have. No matter if you triumph or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘Where can we improve, where can we adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.

“I wish to emphasise I am accountable for the present losses. You are responsible when you are winning but also liable when you are losing. I can not come up with sufficient reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from acceptable and I am to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s display fell apart as the coach introduced multiple offensive substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I substituted the French defender out and put on the Portuguese forward and he found the net straight away to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, now it’s probably unwise.”

The Anfield side previously were defeated in back-to-back at Anfield Premier League games against Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they lost back-to-back top-flight games by a three-goal margin was in 1965.

Slot commented: “It was very bad. Competing at home, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you face is a very, very bad outcome. Unexpected if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so many chances in the opening 30 minutes maybe the whole campaign, and the first time they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.

“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in every other fixture we have been the dominant side and were able to generate opportunities. Lately it is almost constantly that we miss our opportunities and the attempts we concede go in.”