Liverpool's Manager Offers No Excuses and Pledges to Find Route Out of Malaise

Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool 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, delivered the largest win at Liverpool's stadium in their history as Liverpool fell to an 8th loss in eleven matches in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal ought to have been ruled out for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the national team pause. But the manager conceded the buck rested with him and made no excuses.

“No one wishes to listen to me now speaking about refereeing decisions if you are defeated 3-0 in your own stadium to Nottingham Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I ought to look at my own role initially and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can change the momentum of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to net a strike. Afterwards we hardly created anything.

“Naturally there is a path forward, especially with the talented players we have. Regardless if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.

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

Liverpool’s display fell apart as the coach introduced several attacking substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the same away at Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender off and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to make it 1-1. Then it was courageous, currently it’s likely stupid.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in back-to-back at Anfield Premier League games by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they suffered consecutive top-flight games by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Competing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which team you face is a very, very bad result. Surprising if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I did not witness us producing so much in the initial 30 minutes maybe the entire campaign, and the first time they arrived in our box they found the back of the net.

“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the dominant side and were capable to create chances. Recently it is nearly constantly that we miss our opportunities and the attempts we allow find the net.”