Liverpool experienced their first defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, as Nottingham Forest secured a 1-0 victory. It marked the Tricky Trees' first win at Anfield in 55 years, with Callum Hudson-Odoi capitalising on the Reds' inefficiency in front of goal, presenting Arne Slot with his first major challenge of his Premier League tenure in dramatic fashion.

The defeat came just two weeks after the Dutchman had led Liverpool to a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Under Slot’s new leadership, the Reds had started their campaign with three wins and three clean sheets from three matches, earning widespread recognition as early title contenders.

Unfortunately, for those expecting another three points at Anfield, Liverpool delivered a lacklustre performance at the weekend, falling behind Manchester City, who secured a win in their match against Brentford.

Despite the optimism surrounding the club since Slot’s arrival, some of the blame must fall on the manager. Below are four key areas where the former Feyenoord boss faltered, as his side missed the opportunity to make history by becoming the first team to win their first four matches of a new era without conceding a goal.

Lack of Squad Rotation

One noticeable difference between Slot and his predecessor is that the current manager tends to stick with a successful system once it’s in place. This was evident when the Dutchman named the same starting eleven for a third consecutive match, making just one change from the first matchday – replacing Jarell Quansah with Ibrahima Konaté.

While there is merit in the saying, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”, sometimes a slight tweak can significantly enhance a team’s performance. Every player who started against Forest had played for their national teams during the international break. With capable options like Cody Gakpo, Conor Bradley, and Darwin Núñez waiting for their first starts of the season, Slot could have eased the pressure on the starting eleven, especially considering the Reds are facing seven games in 21 days.

Substituting Luis Díaz Instead of Mo Salah

A key concern following Saturday’s defeat was Mo Salah’s sub-par performance. Salah completed only 28 of his 40 pass attempts, created just one chance for his teammates, and won only one of his seven ground duels over a gruelling 90 minutes. Moreover, Salah’s underwhelming display saw him complete just one of his five dribble attempts, a number matched by Murillo, who was playing as a centre-back.

Slot should have recognised Salah’s lack of impact and substituted him rather than Luis Díaz, who was arguably Liverpool’s most dangerous attacking player throughout the match. However, Salah remained on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. This decision highlighted how reputation does not always match performance, and this particular oversight could be attributed to poor match management by the Dutchman on the day.

Leaving Szoboszlai on for the Full 90 Minutes

One key talking point transitions smoothly into the next – Dominik Szoboszlai, despite his impressive performances in Slot’s new system, appeared fatigued on Saturday. Whether it was the international break taking its toll or simply an off day for the Hungarian, the dynamic midfielder seemed to be running on empty for most of the second half.

Typically, Szoboszlai’s heat map is filled with activity, but that wasn’t the case at the weekend. While Ryan Gravenberch once again put in a solid shift and Alexis Mac Allister held his own, Szoboszlai might have benefited from being rested in the midfield trio, particularly with Champions League fixtures looming. Then again, this decision may have been easier had Harvey Elliott not recently suffered a broken foot.

Shifting Trent Into Midfield

From earning two Man of the Match awards and pushing for a regular spot in Lee Carsley’s England setup during the international break, to being almost invisible against Nottingham Forest, Trent Alexander-Arnold experienced a noticeable fall from grace.

He struggled with set-pieces, his long passes were ineffective, and he made little impact when advancing towards the opposition’s defence – a far cry from the Alexander-Arnold the Anfield faithful are accustomed to seeing. However, he remained defensively solid. This was particularly evident when he moved into midfield, as Conor Bradley struggled to contain Callum Hudson-Odoi, which ultimately led to the winning goal.