Slot Provides Zero Justifications and Vows to Find Way Out of Malaise

Arne Slot stated he needed to “examine my own performance” after the Reds endured a 6th loss in seven Premier League games on their own turf to Forest and affirmed he would find a way out of the champions’ poor run.

Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, delivered the biggest win at Anfield in their history as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth loss in 11 fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was once more anonymous and the home side contended the defender's opener should have been disallowed for comparable grounds to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal versus Manchester City before the national team pause. But Slot conceded the responsibility stopped with him and offered no alibis.

“Nobody wants to hear me now talking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to look at myself first and my squad, but it does show you how a goal can change the flow of a match. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a goal. Later we hardly generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a path forward, especially with the talented footballers we have. Regardless if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we do better, where can we make changes?’ but that is something else from questioning yourself.

“I wish to emphasise I am accountable for the present losses. You are answerable when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never come up with sufficient reasons 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 introduced multiple offensive substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender out and put on [Diogo] Jota and he scored immediately to make it 1-1. Then it was courageous, currently it’s likely unwise.”

The Anfield side previously were defeated in back-to-back home Premier League games by Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered back-to-back league matches by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot commented: “It was extremely poor. Competing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a terrible outcome. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the match. I haven’t seen us producing so much in the initial 30 minutes maybe the entire season, and the first time they arrived in our box they scored.

“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were capable to create opportunities. Recently it is almost consistently that we miss our chances and the attempts we allow go in.”