Liverpool 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Reds suffer first defeat under Arne Slot as Callum Hudson-Odoi nets to leave Anfield shell-shocked

Arne Slot’s buzzword since taking over at Liverpool has been patience – but by around the 70th minute of this match, any patience had been slowly strangled to submission and the overriding emotions were just angst and frustration.

In training sessions, the new Reds head coach has repeatedly called for his team to adopt a slow style to ‘kill’ teams with passes. This performance, however, was rushed, panicked and lacking in ideas.

Nottingham Forest made it four games unbeaten to start the season as Nuno Espirito Santo’s charges perfectly executed a shrewd gameplan to register a historic 1-0 win. Substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi was the match-winner with a 72nd-minute curling effort.

Nuno’s side carried out his defensive instructions to the letter – Murillo and new signing Nikola Milenkovic were imperious – as they limited space and shooting chances for Liverpool. Mohamed Salah cut a dejected figure as he skied two shots in a minute into the Kop.

By this point, Forest smelt blood. Nuno reflected as much as he threw on wide men Anthony Elanga and Hudson-Odoi, who combined for a blistering breakaway goal that would have been replayed long into the night in Nottingham’s watering holes.

Callum Hudson-Odoi’s low curling shot crept inside Alisson Becker’s left-hand post

Arne Slot ’s honeymoon period as Liverpool head coach has come to an end at Anfield

Even after they took the lead, Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels was barely called into action as a wasteful Liverpool continued to shoot from distance and were unable to break down the away team’s sturdy rearguard. Fans in the away end celebrated every clearance like a goal.

So they should. This was a long time coming – 55 years to be exact. It was February 1969 when Forest won at Anfield in the league, back in the days of Bill Shankly and ‘Rowdy’ Ron Yeats, who was remembered before kick-off after the Liverpool legend passed away last weekend.

Neither boss or any of the players were born when that happened, which suggests this will be a victory talked about for many years to come. It was certainly the finest since Nuno took over from club icon Steve Cooper at Forest. His side are in the Champions League spots – for now.

This was not the ‘kill them with passes’ Slot ordered, more Forest killing Liverpool’s game plan at source and perhaps outlining the blueprint to beat the Dutchman who, do not forget, had won every game and not conceded a goal before this match.

Nuno packed the middle of the park with five players who, by trade, are central midfielders. It meant the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai could not have his usual influence on proceedings. Forest set up to frustrate for an hour before throwing on pace and width in the second half.

Liverpool’s best two chances came from lapses in concentration from Forest players. First, Ryan Yates tried to shield a ball out for a goal kick but was robbed on the byline by in-form Luis Diaz, who powered in on goal and struck the near post.

Then goalkeeper Sels caused a heart-in-mouth moment for away fans as a cross – which should have been easily gobbled up – saw him fumble the attempted catch and lose the ball. The Belgian only just prevented a goal and, luckily, the referee’s watch did not buzz.

The Reds have to rediscover resilience to produce the late magic reminiscent of the previous era

Liverpool’s  concession of their first goal of the campaign proved pivotal on Saturday

Diogo Jota had a sight of goal after a lovely outside-of-the-foot pass from Alexis Mac Allister and then the Argentine had a chance of his own as he forced a reflex save from Sels with a header. They were creating chances but lacked the clinical edge shown in recent weeks.

The atmosphere in Anfield was flat, helped in part by Forest’s plan to prevent Liverpool from playing. The away end taunted home fans with ‘shush’ noises and the two-time European Cup winners’ supporters chanted ‘1-0 to the famous team’ when they took the lead.

It would be wrong to say the goal was coming but Liverpool only had themselves to blame. Minutes before, they had been warned. A breathtaking counter-attack starring new England star Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood ended with a shanked finish from Elanga.

But the next time they ventured forward, Forest made Liverpool pay for their profligacy at the other end. Elanga drove the team forward down the right and played a defence-splitting switch to Hudson-Odoi. He skipped past Conor Bradley with ease and curled a shot into the far corner.

‘We lost the ball so many times in simple situations,’ said Slot. ‘That is the main story from the game, ball possession was not good enough. It is a big setback, if you lose a home game it is always a setback.’

Even after they went behind, Liverpool barely threatened. Penny for the thoughts of new forward Federico Chiesa, who was sitting in the stands not on the substitutes’ bench. Could he have made an impact with a 10-minute cameo?

In truth, it felt like no one in a red shirt was going to come up with a golden moment. Defender Murillo made a warrior-like headed clearance and Ola Aina came up with a last-ditch clearance as every Forest defender put in solid shifts.

By the end, Forest fans were cheering every clearance like a goal – and they had every right to party. ‘I am very happy,’ said Nuno. ‘Many of our fans today in the stadium were not even born so that says how hard it is.

‘I am very happy and proud of the work of the players, they work very hard. Overall, we knew how hard the game was going to be. It is all about taking your chances.’ They did just that – and recorded one of the best wins in their recent history.

As for Liverpool, this is not time to panic — this performance was not awful. But it was far from the standards they had set in the opening games. The Reds go to the San Siro and AC Milan on Tuesday knowing the Slot honeymoon period is well and truly over.