{"id":48777,"date":"2025-11-22T19:32:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T19:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/48777\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T19:32:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T19:32:09","slug":"liverpool-0-nottingham-forest-3-arne-slots-side-hits-a-new-low-but-can-it-get-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/48777\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool 0 Nottingham Forest 3: Arne Slot\u2019s side hits a new low, but can it get worse?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liverpool\u2019s season goes from bad to worse.<\/p>\n

A wretched 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, who were entrenched in the relegation zone ahead of kick-off, dealt a further blow to Arne Slot\u2019s hopes of salvaging his Premier League title defence<\/a> and left him facing yet more awkward questions about how to arrest the club\u2019s slide.<\/p>\n

We dissect the major talking points.<\/p>\n

Why were Liverpool so bad?<\/p>\n

A season increasingly packed with chastening setbacks for Liverpool just lurched to an embarrassing new low.<\/p>\n

This was the bleakest day of the Arne Slot era as his side were routed on home turf. The sight of Morgan Gibbs-White hammering home Forest\u2019s third goal with 12 minutes remaining resulted in hundreds of home supporters giving up and heading to the exits. You could hardly blame them.<\/p>\n

Getting soundly beaten by Manchester City is one thing; getting humiliated in your own backyard by Nottingham Forest, who started the day just one place off the bottom of the Premier League table, is another.<\/p>\n

The problems just keep stacking up for Slot, with Liverpool currently resembling a rudderless mess. So vulnerable at the back, so lacking in midfield, and so toothless up front.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s now six defeats in their past seven league matches, with their title defence in tatters. Injuries haven\u2019t helped, with Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley the latest to pull up lame this week. But the bigger issue for Slot is the lack of cohesion, belief and fight in those left still standing. Established stars have lost their way and the summer signings haven\u2019t been able to make their mark.<\/p>\n

This was Liverpool\u2019s worst Premier League home defeat since Manchester City won 4-1 at Anfield in February 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re getting sacked in the morning,\u201d crowed the Forest fans during the closing stages. That won\u2019t be happening, but Slot needs to find answers and fast.<\/p>\n

James Pearce<\/p>\n

What is wrong with Konate?<\/p>\n

Liverpool\u2019s defensive issues this season run a lot deeper than simply one key player underperforming. The back line has been exposed more often by the lack of protection provided by those in front of them, with Slot\u2019s side far too easy to play through.<\/p>\n

However, there is no escaping the fact that Ibrahima Konate\u2019s performance levels have plummeted.<\/p>\n

Maybe the ongoing uncertainty over his future has played a part, with Konate\u2019s contract due to expire at the end of the season<\/a>. But rather than make a compelling case for Liverpool to pay him what he believes he\u2019s worth, in recent months, he\u2019s only succeeded in ensuring that if he does decide to move on, the reaction from many fans will be one of apathy rather than anger.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Ibrahima Konate\u2019s form has slumped (Shaun Botterill\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Konate has served up one erratic display after another, and after struggling against Manchester City before the international break, he was a glaring weak link again against Forest. He needlessly gave away the corner that led to the opening goal and was later relieved to see Igor Jesus\u2019 effort disallowed for handball after being embarrassed again.<\/p>\n

The number of sloppy errors just kept coming as the Anfield crowd vented their frustration at his shortcomings. Joe Gomez, whose only starts this season have come in the Carabao Cup, must have been sat on the bench wondering what on earth has to happen for him to be given the chance to shine.<\/p>\n

After a disastrous start to the second half for Liverpool saw Nicolo Savona double Forest\u2019s lead, Slot took swift action as he brought on Hugo Ekitike and took Konate off, with Ryan Gravenberch used as a makeshift centre-back. Given the paucity of what he had served up, Konate could have no complaints.<\/p>\n

James Pearce<\/p>\n

When will Isak get going?<\/p>\n

Alexander Isak endured another miserable afternoon, registering just 15 touches, the fewest of any starting player, in another goalless display for Liverpool.<\/p>\n

The most expensive player in Premier League history was anonymous for most of the game, with just one driving run in the first half standing out as his only moment of any significance.<\/p>\n

In the build-up, Slot admitted that he would have to sacrifice the claims of other forwards at the club to get the \u00a3125million man up to speed. It\u2019s why Isak started over Hugo Ekitike, but yet again, there was nothing to show for it as he barely featured in the embarrassing defeat. He failed to offer any spark and is struggling to build on-field chemistry with those around him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Isak is yet to complete 90 minutes for Liverpool, and his only goal so far was against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.<\/p>\n

With six games in the next 21 days, it\u2019s likely Slot will persist with the Sweden international as he continues to find his feet, but it\u2019s taking the striker much longer than expected to settle in.<\/p>\n

Gregg Evans<\/p>\n

Should Forest\u2019s first goal have stood?<\/p>\n

Liverpool initially felt hard done by when they fell behind to Murillo\u2019s opening strike after 33 minutes.<\/p>\n

Like so often this season, the champions looked vulnerable when defending set pieces, and it was a corner that caused problems midway through the first half.<\/p>\n

Not only could it have been easily avoided in the first place, courtesy of Ibrahima Konate\u2019s poor defending, Liverpool should also have done better in their attempts to clear Elliot Anderson\u2019s inswinging delivery.<\/p>\n

Instead, Murillo pounced and fired past the returning Alisson to open the scoring. That was only half of the story, though, as the goalkeeper\u2019s view looked to have been blocked by Dan Ndoye, who appeared to be standing in an offside position.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Arne Slot voiced his concerns to the fourth official on the sidelines, but the officials allowed the goal to stand. The Premier League Match Centre cleared up the controversy on X, stating: \u201cThe referee\u2019s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR \u2014 with it deemed that Ndoye was not in the line of vision of Alisson and did not make an action that impacted an opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n

What made the decision even more frustrating for Liverpool was that they were on the wrong end of a similar scenario a fortnight ago when Virgil van Dijk\u2019s header away at Manchester City<\/a> was ruled out because his team-mate Andy Robertson was blocking Gianluigi Donnarumma\u2019s view from a similar position.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Liverpool\u2019s disallowed goal at Manchester City (Sky Sports)<\/p>\n

Gregg Evans<\/p>\n

\u2026 but should they have had a second in the first half?<\/p>\n

If the opening strike was unfortunate for Liverpool, the fact that Forest had a second goal harshly ruled out in the first half probably levelled things out.<\/p>\n

Again, Konate was at fault as he failed to deal with a ball into the box, which allowed striker Igor Jesus to get the better of him and shoot into the bottom corner from 12 yards out.<\/p>\n

Yet they were spared when referee Andy Madley, after a few seconds delay, ruled out the goal after deciding Jesus had handled the ball in the build-up.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

It seemed a harsh decision, with replays failing to be conclusive as to whether the ball had struck Jesus on the chest, rather than his arm.<\/p>\n

The Premier League Match Centre posted on X: \u201cThe referee\u2019s call of no goal was checked and confirmed by VAR \u2014 with it deemed that Jesus accidentally handled the ball before scoring.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, it didn\u2019t matter, but Liverpool can feel fortunate not to have sustained further damage.<\/p>\n

Gregg Evans<\/p>\n

What did Slot say?<\/p>\n

The Liverpool head coach said Saturday\u2019s defeat was his \u201cresponsibility\u201d but urged his players not to lose confidence despite their poor form.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf things go well or things go bad, it\u2019s my responsibility,\u201d he told the BBC.\u00a0 \u201cWe weren\u2019t able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things, but it didn\u2019t work out. We were unable to score a goal. You never know in this stadium, if you score a goal, then things can work out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a few days, we have to play in the Champions League again and then play three Premier League games in a short space. Keep your head up and work incredibly hard. We are trying every single day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always helpful to have experienced and quality players. It\u2019s not working out at this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

What next for Liverpool?<\/p>\n

Wednesday, November 26: PSV (Home), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Liverpool\u2019s season goes from bad to worse. A wretched 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, who were entrenched…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48778,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[16987,9,11,10,18520,400],"class_list":{"0":"post-48777","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-liverpool","9":"tag-new-york","10":"tag-new-york-headlines","11":"tag-new-york-news","12":"tag-premier-league","13":"tag-soccer"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48777\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}