Liverpool’s perfect start under manager Arne Slot came to an abrupt end as Nottingham Forest stunned Anfield with a 1-0 win on Saturday.
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the only goal 18 minutes from time to secure Forest’s first away league win against Liverpool in 55 years – which is their first at the Anfield Stadium since 1969.
Liverpool had won all three of their opening games under Slot without conceding, including a 3-0 win away at Manchester United two weeks ago.
But the Reds were sloppy and sluggish after the international break and made to pay.
“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three or four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said Slot. “We lost the ball so many times in simple situations.”
Luis Diaz was unlucky not to spark the home side into life when he robbed Ryan Yates and smashed a shot off the inside of the post midway through the first half.
Diogo Jota volleyed straight at Matz Sels, who then denied Alexis Mac Allister with a header but Liverpool never managed to click through the gears against a well-organised Forest side, who are yet to lose in the Premier League this season.
The visitors did ride their luck when Sels fumbled a looping Diaz header and just scooped up the loose ball before it crossed the line.
Slot tried to liven up Liverpool with a triple change on the hour mark as Diaz, Jota and Mac Allister were sacrificed after their exertions on international duty.
Early ‘setback’
Trent Alexander-Arnold was pushed forward into midfield as a result, but the move backfired as it was Forest’s substitutes who were the ones to make a difference.
Anthony Elanga sprinted forward on the counter-attack and fed Hudson-Odoi, who cut inside and fired brilliantly low and hard beyond Alisson Becker.
Slot’s men failed to rally and the stands at Anfield even began to empty with five minutes remaining — a rare sight during Jurgen Klopp’s glorious reign in charge.
“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback,” added Slot. “Especially if you face a team who, we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for the Champions League, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”
Defeat leaves the Reds three points behind champions Manchester City, who stretched their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win over Brentford.
And Slot has little time to come up with a solution as Liverpool travel to AC Milan to begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday.
“If I would change my way of preparation after a loss, that means I only do the best work I can after we lose,” said the former Feyenoord boss.
“We will try to in the best possible way be prepared for Tuesday, which is going to be a completely different game but also a game where we will face a lot of quality.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
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