🔗 Share this article

Liverpool's head coach declared he needed to “examine my own performance” following the Reds endured a sixth defeat in seven English top-flight matches on their own turf to Forest and affirmed he would find a way from the champions’ slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, produced the biggest victory at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th loss in 11 matches in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was once more unnoticeable and Liverpool argued Murillo’s first goal ought to have been disallowed for comparable grounds to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against City before the international break. But Slot admitted the responsibility rested with him and offered no alibis.

“Nobody wishes to listen to me now speaking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I should examine my own role first and my team, but it demonstrates you how a score can alter the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a goal. Afterwards we barely generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a way out, especially with the talented players we have. Regardless if you triumph or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘In which areas can we improve, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is different from questioning yourself.

“I wish to stress I am responsible for the current defeats. You are answerable when you are victorious but also responsible when you are losing. I can never provide sufficient excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

The team's performance unravelled as the coach introduced several attacking changes when pursuing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to equalize at 1-1. Then it was courageous, now it’s probably stupid.”

Liverpool last lost two successive at Anfield Premier League fixtures by Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered back-to-back top-flight matches by a 3-0 margin was in the mid-60s.

The manager said: “It was extremely poor. Competing on home soil, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you encounter is a very, very bad outcome. Surprising if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the match. I haven’t seen us producing so much in the opening half-hour perhaps the whole campaign, and the initial occasion they entered in our box they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were capable to create chances. Lately it is nearly constantly that we miss our chances and the ones we concede find the net.”