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

Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool suffered a 6th loss in seven English top-flight matches on their own turf to Forest and insisted he would discover a way from the champions’ poor run.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest victory at Anfield in their history as Liverpool slipped to an 8th loss in eleven matches in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was once more unnoticeable and the home side contended Murillo’s first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's disallowed effort against Manchester City prior to the international break. But the manager conceded the responsibility stopped with him and offered no alibis.

“No one wishes to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I should look at myself first and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a score can alter the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just waiting for us to net a strike. Afterwards we hardly generated any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have. No matter if you triumph or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘Where can we do better, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.

“I wish to stress I am responsible for the present defeats. You are answerable when you are victorious but also liable when you are losing. I can never provide sufficient excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as Slot introduced several attacking substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] out and put on the Portuguese forward and he found the net immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, currently it’s likely unwise.”

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

Slot said: “It was very bad. Competing at home, conceding 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a terrible outcome. Surprising if you consider the first half-hour of the game. I did not witness us producing so many chances in the initial 30 minutes perhaps the entire campaign, and the initial occasion 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 able to create chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we miss our opportunities and the ones we allow go in.”

James Simpson
James Simpson

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on daily life.