Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted he feels guilty about his team’s alarming collapse this season after a 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest — their sixth league loss in seven games. The reigning champions sit in the bottom half of the table for the first time in more than a decade, dropping to 12th following Everton’s win over Manchester United.
Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League tie with PSV Eindhoven, Slot called the run of results “ridiculous” and said it was something he never expected to experience, especially at a club of Liverpool’s stature. He warned that excuses will not fix the problem and stressed that the recent form is unacceptable for everyone at the club.
Defensive frailties have been the sharpest concern. Liverpool conceded 41 goals on the way to last season’s title; this campaign they have already shipped 20 in 12 league matches, with a worrying number coming from set-pieces. Slot highlighted those numbers as “close to ridiculous” for the club and said conceding remains the biggest issue, even though the team can still create chances from open play. He took ownership of the situation, saying he felt responsible and guilty.
Overall, Liverpool have lost eight of their last 11 matches in all competitions, and the 3-0 defeat to Forest matched the club’s worst Premier League loss at Anfield. Slot said there are many possible reasons for the run but that the simple fundamentals of the game are not being executed: concentration, duels and the basics of defending. “Simple football is the most difficult thing,” he said.
Slot rejected the idea the squad has lost its fighting spirit, instead pointing to lapses in concentration and being outmuscled in decisive moments. He also warned that heavy possession can leave players mentally unprepared to defend — if a team spends long periods controlling the ball, the switch to defending can be slow and costly.
Despite domestic struggles, Liverpool sit third in their Champions League group with eight points, three behind Bayern Munich and holding the final automatic qualification spot for the last 16. Playmaker Florian Wirtz remains sidelined with a muscle injury.
Captain Virgil van Dijk urged more individual responsibility after the Forest defeat, while Andy Robertson said criticism is justified and asked teammates to stick together and avoid social media. Forward Cody Gakpo described an embarrassed squad holding frank conversations in the days after the loss, insisting players as well as the manager must take responsibility and start delivering the performances supporters expect.