🔗 Share this article

Liverpool's head coach declared he needed to “examine my own performance” after the Reds endured a 6th defeat in seven English top-flight matches on their own turf to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would discover a solution out of the title holders' slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest win at Liverpool's stadium in their history as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th defeat in 11 matches in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was once more unnoticeable and Liverpool argued the defender's first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's disallowed effort versus Manchester City before the national team pause. But the manager conceded the responsibility stopped with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to listen to me now speaking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine my own role first and my team, but it demonstrates you how a goal can change the momentum of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Later we barely generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a path forward, particularly with the talented footballers we have. No matter if you win or are beaten when you look back you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, where can we make changes?’ but that is something else from questioning yourself.

“I wish to emphasise I am responsible for the present defeats. 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 far from acceptable and I am to blame for that.”

The team's display unravelled as the coach made multiple attacking changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same on the road at Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on the Portuguese forward and he scored immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was brave, now it’s likely stupid.”

The Anfield side last lost two successive at Anfield Premier League fixtures against Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive league matches by a three-goal margin was in 1965.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which team you encounter is a very, very bad outcome. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the match. I did not witness us creating so much in the opening 30 minutes maybe the whole season, and the first time they arrived in our penalty area they scored.

“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in every other fixture we have been the dominant side and were capable to generate opportunities. Recently it is almost consistently that we miss our chances and the ones we allow find the net.”