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Arne Slot declared he had to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool suffered a 6th defeat in seven English top-flight games on their own turf against Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would discover a way from the title holders' slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the largest win at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th loss in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was once more anonymous and Liverpool argued the defender's opener ought to have been ruled out for comparable grounds to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City before the national team pause. But Slot conceded the buck stopped with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Forest,” stated the Reds' boss. “I should look at my own role initially and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can alter the flow of a game. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a strike. Later we barely created any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the talented footballers we have. Regardless if you triumph or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.

“I wish to emphasise I am responsible for the current defeats. You are answerable when you are winning but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never come up with enough reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is not acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

The team's performance unravelled as Slot introduced several offensive changes when chasing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I took Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net straight away to equalize at 1-1. At that time it was courageous, now it’s likely stupid.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in two successive at Anfield Premier League games by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The last time they lost back-to-back top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot commented: “It was extremely poor. Playing at home, losing 3-0 no matter which team you encounter is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the opening half-hour perhaps the entire campaign, and the initial occasion they arrived in our box they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t at City, but in every other fixture we have been the controlling team and were able to create opportunities. Lately it is nearly constantly that we miss our chances and the ones we allow go in.”