Alan Shearer needs just two words to sum up Liverpool as blunt verdict speaks volumes

Alan Shearer has lauded Nottingham Forest's performance against Liverpool as "no fluke" as he insisted the visitor's victory was thoroughly deserved. Arne Slot's perfect start as Reds boss hit a snag with this unexpected loss.

Former Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi sealed the win for Nuno Espirito Santo's side with a goal after the half-time break. The loss puts Liverpool three points adrift of Manchester City in the early stages of the campaign. More concerning, though, is that according to Shearer, the defeat was well-earned.

The ex- Newcastle United ace, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, commented: " Nottingham Forest were outstanding. The way they defended as a team was magnificent and this was no fluke."

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"They stopped Liverpool every time they got into the box," he continued. "Then they went and hit them on the break, what a finish from Callum Hudson-Odoi. What a start to the season they've had."

Slot, facing his first setback since taking over at Anfield , echoed these sentiments. He criticised his team's performance for not meeting the high standards expected.

Post-match, the Dutch manager expressed his frustration: "The result frustrates the most and we cannot be happy about how the game went," he said. "It was a stop-start game and we hardly created any chances.

"We only have to look at ourselves, we have to be better. Far too many times we lost the ball around the area, it was not good enough. We have to be better with the ball."

Liverpool boss Slot reflected on the match, saying: "Our decisions and execution wasn't good enough. In general we defended quite well but the two fast players came on and made it difficult. We took a lot of risk and in the end it was a very good goal."

Meanwhile, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was thrilled with his team's performance, stating: "The players did it so well, we were against the ropes but we stayed in the game and found our moment. I am really happy for the boys."

He added: "Liverpool are so good, you cannot play them and ignore the quality they have. Defensively we were really good. It was impossible for our wingers to last 90 minutes, they had to track the runners so we needed fresh legs in the second half."

Nuno also praised his team's strategy, saying: "We played well, we controlled the game in the right moments and harmed them. This is a moment to enjoy for our fans. It doesn't last long but our fans are amazing and this is a big help for the players."

Liverpool will look to bounce back in their upcoming Champions League match against AC Milan, while Forest will face Brighton at home next weekend. The Reds host Bournemouth next in the Premier League.

Liverpool.com says: It was a really difficult day for Liverpool and Shearer is right that it was no fluke. Forest deserved at least a point and were clinical when the time came to steal all three. It says it all that the pundit's verdict was that this was anything but smash and grab.

The Reds need to show very quickly that it was a one-off and this isn't the start of a tough spell. Nottingham Forest had a game plan and it worked. But Arne Slot will need to come up with a solution before the next team he faces does exactly the same thing.