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Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “look at myself” after Liverpool endured a sixth loss in 7 Premier League matches at home to Forest and insisted he would find a way from the champions’ slump.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth defeat in eleven fixtures in every tournament. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and the home side argued Murillo’s opener ought to have been ruled out for similar reasons to the captain's disallowed effort against Manchester City before the international break. But the manager conceded the buck stopped with him and offered no alibis.

“Nobody wishes to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine myself first and my team, but it does show you how a score can alter the flow of a game. Before I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Later we barely generated any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have. No matter if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we improve, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting your abilities.

“I want to emphasise I am accountable for the current defeats. You are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never provide sufficient excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am responsible for that.”

Liverpool’s display unravelled as Slot made several offensive changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I took the French defender out and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, currently it’s probably unwise.”

The Anfield side last lost back-to-back home Premier League games against Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive league games by a three-goal margin was in 1965.

The manager said: “It was extremely poor. Competing on home soil, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a very, very bad outcome. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so much in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the whole campaign, and the initial occasion they arrived in our penalty area they scored.

“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other fixture we have been the controlling team and were able to create chances. Recently it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the attempts we concede go in.”