Liverpool's Manager Offers Zero Justifications and Vows to Find Way From Slump

Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” after the Reds endured a sixth loss in 7 English top-flight games on their own turf against Forest and insisted he would find a solution from the champions’ poor run.

Nottingham Forest, fighting against the drop before kick off, produced the largest win at Liverpool's stadium in their history as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth loss in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was again unnoticeable and Liverpool contended the defender's opener ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against Manchester City before the national team pause. But the manager conceded the responsibility stopped with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wishes to hear me now talking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 in your own stadium to Nottingham Forest,” stated the Liverpool head coach. “I should examine my own role first and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a score can alter the flow of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to score a strike. Later we hardly generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a path forward, particularly with the talented footballers we have. Regardless if you win or lose when you look back you are always thinking: ‘Where can we do better, where can we adjust?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.

“I wish to emphasise I am accountable for the present defeats. You are responsible when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can not come up with enough reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s display fell apart as Slot made several offensive substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted the French defender out and put on [Diogo] Jota and he scored immediately to equalize at 1-1. At that time it was brave, currently it’s likely unwise.”

Liverpool last lost back-to-back at Anfield league fixtures against Forest in the sixties. The last time they suffered back-to-back top-flight games by a 3-0 scoreline was in 1965.

Slot commented: “It was very bad. Playing at home, conceding 3-0 regardless of which opponent you encounter is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I did not witness us producing so many chances in the initial half-hour maybe the whole season, and the initial occasion they entered in our box they scored.

“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were able to create opportunities. Lately it is almost consistently that we miss our opportunities and the ones we allow find the net.”