Liverpool's Manager Offers Zero Justifications and Pledges to Plot Route From Malaise

Arne Slot stated he needed to “look at myself” following Liverpool suffered a sixth defeat in 7 Premier League matches at home to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would discover a way out of the title holders' poor run.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the biggest win at Anfield in their history as Liverpool fell to an 8th loss in eleven fixtures in every tournament. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and Liverpool contended Murillo’s opener should have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal versus Manchester City prior to the international break. But the manager admitted the buck rested with him and offered no alibis.

“Nobody wishes to listen to me now speaking about officiating calls 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 first and my team, but it does show you how a score can alter the flow of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Afterwards we hardly generated any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the quality footballers we have. No matter if you win or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘In which areas can we improve, where can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting your abilities.

“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 sufficient excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

The team's performance fell apart as the coach made several attacking substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender out and put on the Portuguese forward and he scored immediately to equalize at 1-1. At that time it was brave, now it’s probably unwise.”

The Anfield side last lost two successive at Anfield Premier League fixtures by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The last time they lost consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in 1965.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Competing on home soil, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you face is a very, very bad result. Unexpected if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the match. I did not witness us creating so much in the opening 30 minutes maybe the entire campaign, and the first time they entered in our box they scored.

“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in every other fixture we have been the controlling side and were capable to create chances. Lately it is almost consistently that we miss our chances and the attempts we allow find the net.”