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Arne Slot stated he needed to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool endured a sixth defeat in 7 English top-flight matches at home to Nottingham Forest and insisted he would discover a way out of the title holders' poor run.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the biggest win at Anfield in their club records as Liverpool fell to an 8th loss in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and Liverpool argued the defender's opener should have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's disallowed effort against Manchester City before the international break. But Slot admitted the buck rested with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to hear me now talking about refereeing decisions if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I should examine my own role initially and my squad, but it does show you how a score can alter the momentum of a game. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a strike. Afterwards we barely generated anything.

“Naturally there is a way out, especially with the quality footballers we have. No matter if you win or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, where can we adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting yourself.

“I want to stress I am responsible for the present defeats. You are responsible when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can not provide sufficient excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not good enough and I am to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s display fell apart as Slot introduced several offensive changes when chasing the match. “It was the same on the road at Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] out and put on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to equalize at 1-1. At that time it was brave, currently it’s likely unwise.”

The Anfield side previously were defeated in two successive at Anfield Premier League games against Nottingham Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they lost back-to-back league games by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing at home, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you face is a very, very bad result. Unexpected if you look at the opening 30 minutes of the game. I did not witness us producing so many chances in the initial 30 minutes maybe the entire campaign, and the first time they arrived in our box they scored.

“It wasn’t at City, but in every other fixture we have been the dominant side and were capable to generate chances. Recently it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the ones we allow find the net.”