🔗 Share this article

Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “look at myself” after the Reds endured a 6th loss in seven Premier League matches at home against Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would discover a solution out of the title holders' slump.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the biggest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club fell to an eighth defeat in 11 fixtures in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and Liverpool contended Murillo’s first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against City before the international break. But Slot admitted the responsibility rested with him and made no excuses.

“No one wishes to listen to me now speaking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Forest,” stated the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine myself first and my squad, but it does show you how a goal can alter the flow of a match. Before I was just hoping for us to net a goal. Later we barely generated anything.

“Naturally there is a way out, particularly with the quality players we have. No matter if you win or are beaten when you look back you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.

“I want to emphasise I am responsible for the present defeats. You are responsible when you are winning but also liable when you are defeated. I can not provide sufficient reasons for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough and I am to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as Slot introduced multiple attacking changes when chasing the game. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I took the French defender off and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net straight away to equalize at 1-1. At that time it was brave, currently it’s likely stupid.”

Liverpool last lost back-to-back at Anfield Premier League games against Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they suffered back-to-back top-flight matches by a 3-0 margin was in the mid-60s.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Competing at home, conceding 3-0 no matter which team you encounter is a terrible result. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so much in the initial 30 minutes perhaps the whole season, and the first time they entered in our box 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 capable to create chances. Lately it is nearly consistently that we fail to convert our chances and the ones we allow find the net.”