The weeks go by, but the observation remains the same: Liverpool are struggling. Before the international break, the Reds were coming off a dismal performance at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City (3-0). Dominated in every aspect of the game, Arne Slot's men seemed to have hit rock bottom, despite having beaten Real Madrid just a few days earlier in the Champions League. The international break came at a crucial time for a team that had lost its momentum. But despite this ten-day respite, it wasn't enough to cure the headaches of the reigning English champions.
This Saturday, Anfield's residents hosted Nottingham Forest for Matchday 12 of the Premier League . Nottingham Forest, also struggling at the start of the season (second to last before kickoff), had managed to hold Mohamed Salah's teammates to a draw twice last season (1-0 at Anfield, 1-1 in Nottingham). A feat that the team, now coached by Sean Dyche, repeated (3-0), aided by an apathetic and disoriented Liverpool side . This was exemplified by the defense, caught out again from a set piece, leading to Murillo's opening goal (33rd minute). Liverpool's back line was also slow to react to Savona's second goal (46th minute), immediately after the restart, with Mac Allister too hesitant in front of Neco Williams.
Is the end of title dreams this weekend?
Offensively, Alexander Isak single-handedly symbolized the insufficient impact of Liverpool's attackers (15 touches, one shot off target, none won out of seven duels). The Swedish international, signed for a hefty fee this summer, is still searching for his first Premier League goal with his new team and was substituted in the 68th minute by Federico Chiesa. Despite enjoying a commanding 74% possession, Liverpool were left frustrated by Forest's solid defense (21 shots attempted, 4 on target) before even losing focus in the second half and conceding the final blow to Gibbs-White (80th minute). This goal sealed the Reds ' sixth league defeat of the 2025-2026 season after 12 matchdays. It also prompted many fans to leave Anfield before the final whistle. A disappointment that Arne Slot fully acknowledged. “ Whether things go well or badly, it’s always my responsibility. I’ve tried to adjust a few things that haven’t really worked. We have quality players. It’s my job to get the best out of them. I’m not managing to do that at the moment ,” explained the former Feyenoord coach after his 50th Premier League match.
Virgil van Dijk, for his part, pointed out his team's mistakes. " We're conceding too many easy goals. They scored again from a set piece. We weren't good in the duels, the tackles, the battles; we were too rushed. The situation is very difficult right now ," said the Dutchman, who still believes a turnaround is possible. " We've managed to get out of it before, but we're ultimately in a very difficult situation. We're not going to get out of it by just talking. It will take a lot of work. (...) Everyone is disappointed because losing at home to Nottingham is very bad. We all need to take a hard look at ourselves. I've been at this club for so long now, and we've been through some tough times. We'll bounce back, but it won't happen overnight. I'm not one to give up, and we'll keep going. " On Sunday evening, Liverpool (11th) could be 11 points behind Arsenal if the Gunners beat Tottenham . And thus be eliminated from the title race, for good.
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