Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admits the shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest should serve as a reality check for a team which has aspirations to challenge for the title.
While the bar for Arne Slot’s first season in charge was set at Champions League qualification following the wholesale changes over the summer, opening the campaign with three wins and no goals conceded raised expectations.
However, those were punctured by a deflating 1-0 defeat – Forest’s first at Anfield since 1969 – and Van Dijk said that should serve as a reminder of the high standards which need to be met.
"It was a stop-start game, we didn't create many chances"
Arne Slot on Liverpool's home defeat to Nottingham Forest 🔴 pic.twitter.com/PSrSkjLwRX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 14, 2024
“Overall it was a disappointing afternoon, something we didn’t want to happen,” said the Netherlands international.
“But we have to turn this around and make this sort of a reality check to be better for the rest of the season, because if you want to achieve things the contrast between the games we played is too big.
“We know how direct they are so playing against a big striker you can sometimes lose a challenge and you have to be ready for the second ball and every time there was a second ball they were on the right side of it.
“They got momentum in terms of winning the right challenges and they did they job very well and in terms of ourselves we weren’t good enough.
“That’s the disappointing part of it.”
A disjointed display created its own problems for Liverpool and then when Callum Hudson-Odoi came off the bench to score the first goal conceded by Slot’s side this season in the 72nd minute there was no late rally from the hosts.
That was in contrast to some of the last-minute heroics seen under predecessor Jurgen Klopp but Van Dijk denied the more measured approach of his compatriot did not make it difficult to go up a gear when it was necessary.
“We still tried but I think we were too rushed, we put the ball in the box a bit too quick or overplayed it and then you don’t get the momentum you want to get,” added Van Dijk, who also rejected the suggestion the international break had interrupted their rhythm.
“It’s difficult for me to say. Everyone is coming back from different places and playing a different way but still I think when we were not at our best we created chances and it should have gone better.
“But it is a performance we are definitely not happy with, we expect a lot better from ourselves and losing at home is something that can’t happen.
“We have to turn it around pretty quickly and that will be the focus.”
Liverpool have a quick opportunity to put things right as they head to Italy to face AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“Obviously everyone is disappointed but we also remind ourselves that Tuesday is another big game,” he said.
“If you want to dwell on things it is only going to backfire on yourself.”
Although Liverpool have failed to put together what could be classed as complete performances in their three previous victories they have had at least had a dominant 45 minutes in each.
However, there was none of that against Forest with passes regularly going astray and players seemingly on different wavelengths.
The closest they came to scoring was when Luis Diaz both hit the post and also saw goalkeeper Matz Sels almost fumble his header over the line in the first half.
Forest’s opportunities were few and far between with their 31 per cent possession but having kept their opponents at arm’s length Hudson-Odoi struck the decisive blow.
