Slot Provides No Excuses and Pledges to Find Route From Slump

Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “examine my own performance” following the Reds endured a sixth defeat in seven English top-flight matches on their own turf against Forest and affirmed he would find a way from the champions’ slump.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the biggest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th defeat in 11 fixtures in every tournament. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was again unnoticeable and the home side argued the defender's opener ought to have been ruled out for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort against City before the national team pause. But Slot conceded the buck rested with him and offered no alibis.

“No one wishes to hear me now speaking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I should examine myself first and my team, but it demonstrates you how a goal can alter the momentum of a game. Before I was just hoping for us to score a strike. Later we barely generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a way out, especially with the talented players we have. No matter if you win or lose when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘Where can we do better, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is something else from questioning your abilities.

“I wish to stress I am accountable for the current 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 to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as the coach made several offensive substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the same on the road at Forest last season,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and brought on the Portuguese forward and he scored straight away to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, currently it’s probably unwise.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in two successive at Anfield Premier League games against Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered back-to-back league matches by a three-goal margin was in 1965.

Slot commented: “It was very bad. Playing at home, losing 3-0 no matter which opponent you face is a terrible result. Surprising if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the match. I did not witness us creating so much in the opening half-hour maybe the entire campaign, and the first time they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t at City, but in every other fixture we have been the controlling side and were capable to generate opportunities. Recently it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our chances and the ones we concede find the net.”

Alyssa Nelson
Alyssa Nelson

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