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Liverpool's head coach stated he had to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool suffered a sixth defeat in 7 English top-flight matches on their own turf against Nottingham Forest and insisted he would find a way from the champions’ slump.

Nottingham Forest, fighting against the drop before kick off, delivered the largest win at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth defeat in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was once more anonymous and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal should have been ruled out for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the international break. But the manager admitted the responsibility rested with him and offered no alibis.

“No one wishes to listen to me now talking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I should examine my own role first and my squad, but it does show you how a goal can change the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a goal. Afterwards we barely created any chances.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the talented footballers we have. No matter if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we do better, where can we make changes?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.

“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 never come up with sufficient reasons for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough and I am to blame for that.”

The team's performance fell apart as the coach introduced multiple attacking changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same away at Forest last season,” he remarked. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net straight away to make it 1-1. Then it was courageous, currently it’s likely stupid.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in back-to-back home league games against Nottingham Forest in 1963. The last time they lost consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal margin was in the mid-60s.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 no matter which opponent you face is a very, very bad outcome. Surprising if you consider the first half-hour of the match. I did not witness us creating so much in the initial 30 minutes perhaps the entire season, and the initial occasion they arrived in our box they found the back of the net.

“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the dominant team and were able to generate opportunities. Recently it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the ones we allow go in.”