Liverpool 0-1 Nottingham Forest: 'Honeymoon' over as Arne Slot rues 'setback'

Arne Slot referred to his initial loss as Liverpool's manager as "a setback," while commentator Chris Sutton suggested that "the honeymoon phase has ended."

Slot guided Liverpool to three consecutive victories without letting any goals in since taking over from Jurgen Klopp during the summer.

However, they were let down by Nottingham Forest, who secured their first victory at Anfield since February 1969, courtesy of a goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi.

It wasn't a classic smash-and-grab situation, but Liverpool had the clearer opportunities. Slot acknowledged that his team made too many mistakes.

Liverpool found it difficult in the first half as Forest consistently interrupted their rhythm. Their most significant opportunity came when Luis Diaz hit the post.

One team's flawless beginning grabbed all the attention, while the other team's achievement went largely unnoticed. As it stands now, Forest is the only team still undefeated.

This was actually Slot's first loss in 30 matches, a streak that began with Feyenoord's 2-1 defeat against Celtic in the Champions League on December 13, 2023.

"While it's not about the process itself, it was a significant disappointment," Slot remarked regarding the loss at Anfield.

Losing a home game is definitely a disappointment, especially when you're up against a team that might surprise us and end up competing for Champions League spots. However, this particular team usually doesn't finish in the top 10.

"Losing a match to them can feel really disheartening."

The fans at Anfield were noticeably upset with the way the match was unfolding, and several began to exit the stadium before the final whistle.

Former Celtic forward Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live from Anfield, remarked: "Arne Slot's initial phase of grace has come to an end – there's a lot of work ahead."

Arne Slot probably wasn't looking forward to the international break. His team was outmaneuvered by this Forest squad this afternoon.

In a brief press conference after the match, Slot mentioned, "They frequently used long passes."

We controlled the ball for a significant amount of time, yet only managed to generate three or four decent opportunities. That’s insufficient when you spend so much time in their territory. We gave away possession far too often in straightforward situations.

"The opposing team often bypassed our pressing strategy by sending long passes. I noticed that several players did not perform at the level I expect from them when it came to handling the ball."

Liverpool travels to AC Milan on Tuesday for their opening match in the Champions League group stage.

Slot has kept the same lineup for the last three games, but he might consider making some adjustments soon.

The former Blackburn forward Sutton referred to it as a "brilliant display" by Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The manager introduced the speedy pair of Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga during the second half, and they worked together to score.

"Nottingham Forest were exceptional," stated former England captain Alan Shearer on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Their collective defense was outstanding, and this wasn't just a lucky occurrence. They managed to thwart Liverpool's attempts whenever the ball got near the box.

They quickly countered and scored with an incredible goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi. It's been an amazing start to the season for them.

Forest has managed to secure two victories and have drawn two in their first four matches.

"We feel incredibly proud and thrilled about our victory. I'm aware of the effort and the long journeys they've put in," Nuno shared with BBC Match of the Day.

"We needed to surpass their performance; that's the only approach that works at Anfield. Our supporters haven’t had a chance to celebrate in Liverpool for quite a while, so let's relish this moment."

The most recent time Forest secured a victory at Anfield was nearly five months prior to the historic moment when the first human set foot on the moon.

Nuno expressed his excitement by saying, "Overlooking the skill that Liverpool possesses would be a mistake, but we certainly didn't do that."

"It's all about seizing the opportunities when they arise, and that's exactly what we did."