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Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” following the Reds endured a 6th loss in 7 Premier League matches at home to Nottingham Forest and insisted he would discover a solution from the champions’ slump.

Forest, fighting against the drop prior to the match, produced the largest 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 anonymous and the home side argued the defender's first goal should have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the national team pause. But the manager admitted the responsibility stopped with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wishes to hear me now speaking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” stated the Liverpool head coach. “I should look at my own role first and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can alter the momentum of a game. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a strike. Afterwards we hardly generated anything.

“Naturally there is a path forward, particularly with the talented players we have. Regardless if you triumph or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we do better, where can we make changes?’ but that is something else from questioning your abilities.

“I wish to emphasise I am accountable for the current losses. You are responsible when you are victorious but also liable when you are losing. I can never come up with enough excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as the coach made several attacking changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on the Portuguese forward and he found the net straight away to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, now it’s likely unwise.”

Liverpool last lost back-to-back at Anfield Premier League fixtures against Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they suffered consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot commented: “It was extremely poor. Playing at home, conceding 3-0 no matter which team you face is a terrible result. Surprising if you consider the first half-hour of the game. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the initial half-hour maybe the whole campaign, and the first time they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.

“It did not happen at City, but in all other game we have been the controlling side and were capable to generate opportunities. Recently it is almost consistently that we fail to convert our chances and the ones we allow find the net.”