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Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “examine my own performance” after the Reds suffered a 6th loss in 7 English top-flight matches on their own turf to Nottingham Forest and insisted he would find a solution out of the title holders' poor run.

Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the largest win at Liverpool's stadium in their history as the Merseyside club fell to an eighth defeat in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and Liverpool argued the defender's first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort versus City before the international break. But the manager conceded the buck rested with him and made no excuses.

“No one wants to hear me now talking about refereeing decisions if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Forest,” stated the Reds' boss. “I ought to look at my own role initially and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can change the momentum of a game. Before I was just waiting for us to score a goal. Later we hardly generated anything.

“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the quality footballers we have. No matter if you win or lose when you look back you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we do better, where can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting your abilities.

“I want to stress I am accountable for the present defeats. You are answerable when you are winning but also responsible when you are losing. I can not provide sufficient excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am to blame for that.”

The team's performance unravelled as the coach introduced several attacking changes when chasing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender off and put on the Portuguese forward and he found the net straight away to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, now it’s likely stupid.”

The Anfield side previously were defeated in back-to-back home league games against Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive league games by a 3-0 scoreline was in the mid-60s.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing on home soil, losing 3-0 no matter which team you encounter is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you consider the first half-hour of the match. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the opening half-hour perhaps the whole season, and the initial occasion they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t at City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were able to generate opportunities. Lately it is nearly consistently that we miss our chances and the ones we allow find the net.”