Liverpool’s Arne Slot expressed disappointment after a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, missing a chance to secure all three points.
Things started rough for Liverpool as Chris Wood scored for Forest just eight minutes in. But Slot made a smart double-substitution in the second half. Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota teamed up to equalize in the 66th minute.
Despite dominating the match with 71% possession and taking 17 more shots than Forest, Liverpool just couldn’t find the back of the net enough. Forest’s defense has been solid this season, only allowing 20 goals in the league. Slot was clearly frustrated that they didn’t walk away with all three points.
It was a missed chance for Liverpool, especially since Chelsea and Manchester City also dropped points. Chelsea managed a last-minute equalizer against Bournemouth, while City let a two-goal lead slip against Brentford.
Even with the draw, Liverpool remains six points clear at the top of the Premier League. After the match, Slot showed respect for Forest, praising their defense. He noted how their goalkeeper made some incredible saves and their defenders blocked many shots.
Slot mentioned, “I could not have asked for more. The second half was outstanding. Not many teams can create so many chances against a defensively strong opponent. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get a second.”
When asked about breaking down Forest’s defense, he explained how tough it was. “When their goalkeeper has it, they go long, and you have to defend that first. Then you need to win the second ball. If you do, they fall back into a low block with eleven players around the box. It’s really hard for any team to create chances here.”
He also talked about his quick double-substitution that led to the equalizer just 22 seconds after they came on. “You need a bit of luck with that,” he said. “We took out Ibou Konate, who is usually a big threat on set pieces, but we know Jota can score, and Tsimikas has a good delivery. They really made an impact right away.”
