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Arne Slot stated he needed to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool endured a 6th loss in seven Premier League games on their own turf against Nottingham Forest and insisted he would discover a solution from the champions’ poor run.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the largest victory at Anfield in their history as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th defeat in 11 matches in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was again unnoticeable and the home side argued the defender's opener should have been ruled out for comparable grounds to the captain's disallowed effort against City prior to the national team pause. But the manager conceded the buck rested with him and offered no alibis.

“No one wants to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I should look at my own role first and my squad, but it does show you how a score can change the flow of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Afterwards we barely created anything.

“Of course there is a path forward, especially with the talented players we have. Regardless if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we do better, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is something else from questioning yourself.

“I want to emphasise I am accountable for the present defeats. You are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are losing. I can never come up with enough reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s display unravelled as the coach made multiple attacking changes when chasing the game. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest last season,” he remarked. “I took the French defender off and put on the Portuguese forward and he scored immediately to equalize at 1-1. Then it was courageous, now it’s likely unwise.”

The Anfield side last lost back-to-back home Premier League games by Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive top-flight matches by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Competing at home, losing 3-0 no matter which team you encounter is a very, very bad outcome. Unexpected if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the match. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the whole campaign, and the first time they arrived in our box they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t at City, but in all other fixture we have been the controlling side and were able to create chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the attempts we allow find the net.”