🔗 Share this article

Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “look at myself” after the Reds suffered a sixth defeat in 7 English top-flight matches on their own turf to Forest and insisted he would discover a solution out of the champions’ poor run.

Nottingham Forest, fighting against the drop before kick off, delivered the biggest win at Liverpool's stadium in their history as Liverpool slipped to an eighth loss in eleven matches in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was once more unnoticeable and the home side argued Murillo’s first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's disallowed effort versus City prior to the national team pause. But the manager admitted the responsibility rested with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I should look at my own role first and my team, but it does show you how a score can change the flow of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to score a goal. Afterwards we barely created any chances.

“Naturally there is a way out, particularly with the talented footballers we have. Regardless if you win or lose when you look back you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we improve, where can we adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting yourself.

“I wish to emphasise I am responsible for the current losses. You are answerable when you are winning but also liable when you are defeated. I can not come up with sufficient reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as Slot introduced several attacking substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on [Diogo] Jota and he scored immediately to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, now it’s probably unwise.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in back-to-back at Anfield league games by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they lost consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal margin was in 1965.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 no matter which opponent you face is a very, very bad result. Unexpected if you consider the first half-hour of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so many chances in the opening half-hour maybe the whole season, and the first time they entered in our penalty area they scored.

“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were capable to generate opportunities. Lately it is nearly consistently that we miss our chances and the attempts we concede go in.”