Arne Slot shoulders blame following Liverpool's shock defeat to Forest

Arne Slot took full responsibility for Liverpool's sixth Premier League loss in their last seven outings, after Nottingham Forest claimed a surprising 3-0 win at Anfield on Saturday.

Slot's team endured one of their poorest home results in the Premier League, as Forest heaped pressure on the faltering title holders.

Forest's goals came from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White, resulting in Liverpool's most significant home defeat since their 4-1 reverse against Manchester City back in 2021.

Throughout Premier League history, just Chelsea and West Ham have managed to triumph at Anfield by a three-goal margin.

Slot found himself outsmarted by Forest manager Sean Dyche, whose defensive strategy and rapid breaks laid bare the shortcomings in Liverpool's struggling formation.

"It is tough to gauge exactly how poor it was, yet it felt extremely poor. Suffering a 3-0 home loss against any opponent represents a terribly disappointing outcome," Slot remarked.

"I must stress that I bear the weight of these recent setbacks, just as I do for the successes, and responsibility extends to the defeats as well.

"I refuse to offer any justifications for our performances. They fall well short of expectations, and I hold myself accountable."

This unexpected result saw Liverpool slip to 11th position in the standings, now trailing leaders Arsenal by eight points, with their championship challenge already crumbling before the holiday period.

Liverpool have now lost eight of their past 11 fixtures across all tournaments, a stark contrast to the team that comfortably secured their joint-record 20th English league crown in the previous campaign.

The downturn follows a summer transfer window where they invested close to 450 million pounds (589 million dollars) in fresh talent, anticipated to yield further trophies.

Their record-breaking acquisition Alexander Isak from Newcastle has yet to net in the league for Liverpool, and Florian Wirtz has made minimal difference.

Even amid this dire situation, Slot remains convinced that Liverpool can recover from their slump.

"Certainly, there exists a path forward, particularly given the calibre of our squad," he affirmed.

"Whether victorious or not, after selecting the team or making changes, reflection always involves considering improvements or tweaks, though that differs from self-doubt."

Slot insisted that Liverpool performed solidly during the opening 45 minutes versus Forest, but their failure to convert opportunities proved costly.

"From my view, we began strongly. Perhaps we generated more chances in the initial 30 minutes than at any point this season," he noted.

"We produced plenty, yet the first occasion Forest entered our penalty area resulted in a goal.

"It proves a challenging mix when you squander your own opportunities while every shot we allow finds the net."