🔗 Share this article

Liverpool's head coach stated he had to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool endured a 6th loss in seven English top-flight games on their own turf against Forest and affirmed he would find a way out of the champions’ poor run.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club fell to an eighth loss in 11 matches in every tournament. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was again unnoticeable and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal should have been ruled out for comparable grounds to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort against City prior to the national team pause. But Slot admitted the responsibility rested with him and made no excuses.

“No one wants to hear me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I ought to look at my own role initially and my team, but it demonstrates you how a score can change the momentum of a game. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a goal. Later we barely created any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the quality players we have. Regardless if you triumph or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we improve, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.

“I wish to stress I am accountable for the current defeats. You are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never come up with enough excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is not good enough and I am responsible for that.”

The team's display unravelled as the coach made multiple attacking changes when chasing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I took Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on the Portuguese forward and he scored straight away to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, currently it’s probably stupid.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in back-to-back at Anfield league games by Forest in 1963. The last time they lost back-to-back league games by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot commented: “It was extremely poor. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you encounter is a terrible result. Unexpected if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so many chances in the initial 30 minutes perhaps the whole campaign, and the first time they arrived in our box they scored.

“It wasn’t at City, but in all other game we have been the controlling side and were capable to generate chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we miss our chances and the attempts we concede find the net.”