Liverpool 0, Nottingham Forest 1 - Match Recap: Reds Face First Slot Defeat

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Liverpool FC v Nottingham Forest FC - Premier League

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Liverpool limped to a disappointing loss against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Liverpool 0 - 1 Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi 72’

Pre-Match

No surprises in the line up from Arne Slot as the Reds return from the September international break. Liverpool play at Anfield and hope that they can replicate their good form from the first three matches as they come up against Nottingham Forest. And as a personal aside, I am excited that they’re playing a normal 3PM Saturday game after the break instead of slogging it out in the noon fixture.

First Half

Liverpool came out strong, earning an early corner that Diogo Jota unfortunately can’t control in the way he’d like. Luis Diaz nearly made it 1-0 with some incredibly crafty work. He stole the ball from the Forest defender, cleverly kept it in play on the byline to prevent a throw-in. Then his resulting shot unfortunately ricocheted off of the near post.

Moments later, on another attack, Mohamed Salah floated a cross into the box that reached the head of Dominik Szoboszlai. The header didn’t connect right and the chance went begging.

Liverpool had their first scare of the afternoon when it looked like Forest had beat the offside trap to get away. However, the flag went up even after the shot went wide.

Immediately on the other end, Liverpool counter. The ball came out to Alexis Mac Allister outside of the 18 yard box. Instead of the heavy swing that would be expected, he sent a lofted ball in front of the goal. Jota got a foot on it, but the tap-in went directly into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Around 36 minutes in, the Reds decided to stop playing around and began wave after wave of attacks to try and find that first goal. The Forest goalkeeper was the only person keeping them in the game, and even he had a scare when he failed to catch a shot and nearly bumbled it into his own net. However, the Reds were frustrated despite the pressure.

Second Half

Liverpool return in the second half unchanged with 45 minutes to find the goal they’ve been searching for. You could feel the anxiety in the stadium beginning to build as the minutes wore on.

Early on, Slot recognized that something wasn’t quite clicking with the Reds and made a triple change at 60 minutes on. Jota, Mac Allister, and Diaz all off with Cody Gakpo, Conor Bradley, and Darwin Nunez on. Trent Alexander-Arnold was pushed up to the midfield with Bradley taking his position at right-back.

The Reds were punished for their lack of end product by conceding their first goal of the season. Hudson-Odoi curled one home after the break was on. Liverpool were in a losing position for the first time under Arne Slot.

It looks as though the fight has been drained from Liverpool. Salah was dispossessed by former Red Neco Williams, forcing Szoboszlai into a booking as he chased him down.