AP:
LIVERPOOL’S PREMIER League title defence lurched deeper into crisis yesterday – losing 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest. Manchester City’s challenge was also hit by a 2-1 loss at Newcastle.
A sixth defeat of the campaign left last season’s runaway champions Liverpool 11th in the standings and eight points behind leaders Arsenal, having played a game more.
Coach Arne Slot accepted it was a “very, very, very bad result” and said he could “never come up with enough excuses” for his team’s alarming run of results.
“That is far from good enough and I’m responsible for that,” he said after goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White at Anfield consigned Liverpool to a sixth defeat from their last seven games in England’s top flight.
To put that into context, the Merseyside club only lost four times over the entire season last term when winning a record-equalling 20th title.
Arsenal were the big winners on the day, despite not playing, after seeing two of their main rivals drop more points.
City fell to their fourth defeat, with Harvey Barnes scoring twice for Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Chelsea are second and within three points of Arsenal after a 2-0 win at Burnley. Arsenal play Tottenham today.
Crystal Palace beat Wolverhampton 2-0 and Fulham won 1-0 at home to Sunderland.
Brighton won 2-1 against Brentford while Bournemouth came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with West Ham.
It was the second time in successive seasons Forest have won at Anfield, the result lifting Sean Dyche’s team out of the relegation zone. It was also back-to-back wins for the first time this term for Forest, who are already on their third coach following the firings of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
How Liverpool could do with a similar winning run after seeing their title defence unravel long before the season have even reached the halfway point.
They have only won once in the league since September 20 and the latest loss could have been even worse, with Forest seeing a first-half strike from Igor Jesus ruled out for handball.
SUPERIORITY IN THE SECOND HALF
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That would have doubled the visitors’ lead after Murillo had opened the scoring with a low effort from inside the box in the 33rd minute. Ultimately it mattered little as Forest pressed home their superiority in the second half through Savona a minute after the restart.
As Liverpool tried to mount a comeback, Gibbs-White put the game beyond doubt in the 78th.
Not even the return of goalkeeper Alisson from injury and a first start in a month for British record signing Alexander Isak could turn Liverpool’s form around.
Isak was substituted after 68 minutes and extended his goalless run to six games since scoring his only goal of the season against second division Southampton in September.
“Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home against Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad,” said Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. “That’s the least I can say about it.”
City had the chance to go within a point of Arsenal after a statement win against Liverpool before the international break. But their frailties were exposed by a Newcastle team that was on the back of two straight defeats in the league.
Barnes, along with Nick Woltemade, had squandered a number of chances before he got his first with a low shot from the edge of the area in the 63rd.
Ruben Dias levelled for City five minutes later, but Barnes flicked in the winner in the 70th.
City are third, four points adrift of Arsenal, having played a game more.
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored at Turf Moor as Chelsea moved up to second.
Neto headed Chelsea in front in the 37th minute for his second goal in as many games and his fourth this season.
Fernandez sealed the win in the 88th with a low shot from inside the box.
Burnley’s defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone.
Yesterday’s Results
Burnley 0-2 Chelsea
Liverpool 0-3 Forest
Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham
Wolves 0-2 Palace
Brighton 2-1 Brentford
Fulham 1-0 Sunderland
Newcastle 2-1 Man City