Liverpool and Nottingham Forest battled to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday evening as both sides had their chances to make it more but just could not convert.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest takeaways from this key Premier League fixture.
Defensive frailties exploited by Forest
Despite a productive passage of play and some slick movement with the ball in the opening stages, Liverpool were easily undone by three Forest passes.
The killer blow came in the form of an Anthony Elanga through ball into Chris Wood, firing them into the lead with their only chance of the game so far.
Ibrahima Konate has struggled since returning from injury and it was his wayward pass to Mohamed Salah that sparked Forest’s goalscoring attack.
At times, Trent Alexander-Arnold and especially Andy Robertson looked far too vulnerable in 1v1 situations and emerged as easy targets for both Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
With only one clean sheet in six league outings, Arne Slot will have to tighten things up at the back if the Reds are to maintain their course for the Premier League title.
First-half shortcomings causing long-term concerns
Since their opening fixture against Ipswich Town, Liverpool have been notoriously slow starters, notably in the opening 45 minutes.
While this was excusable during Slot’s 'bedding-in' period, an unprecedented chance for the title without Pep Guardiola’s Man City side as competition, has certainly altered the backdrop.
The Reds can no longer afford to start games in such a sluggish fashion: passing void of purpose; predictability; and poor decision-making in the final third seldom go unpunished in England’s top flight.
Four draws in Liverpool’s previous seven Premier League games have seen them discover this the hard way.
Fans will be forgiven for experiencing a sense of déjà vu, given that their second-half exploits in Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign last season paid dividends up until the final hurdle.
Slot’s mantra of control, a stark contrast to his predecessor, will likely benefit the Reds’ current predicament and more effective starts will help snuff out their opponents and title challengers Arsenal.
Slot’s tactical gamble pays off
After the hour mark, the Dutchman’s halftime team talk failed to yield anything positive from his side.
While many expected substitutes Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas to replace Luis Diaz and Andy Robertson in like-for-like changes, the Scotsman was withdrawn alongside Ibrahima Konate.
Opting for a 3-4-3, Tsimikas tucked into a back three, leaving captain Virgil van Dijk to occupy Chris Wood, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo occupied the wingback positions.
The tactical tweak paid off immediately, as the Greek full-back’s corner met Jota, who headed in from close range as both players’ first touch of the game thrust Liverpool back into the contest.
It was another noteworthy performance from Tsimikas, who is a strong candidate to earn a starting place in Slot’s XI following Robertson’s inconsistencies this season.
Jota once again stated his claim as Liverpool’s target man in the absence of Darwin Nunez and is surely set to play a more influential role in their upcoming run of fixtures, following a lengthy injury lay-off.
Super Sels defies Red hot barrage
Despite nine efforts in the first half from the visitors, none of them were in the vicinity of Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Truthfully, the Belgian wasn’t called upon until his side conceded after the hour mark, in which he was forced to make six saves.
He stood firm in denying Jota two chances in quick succession, before saving Salah’s chipped effort later in the second half.
Ola Aina also managed a goal-line block off a powerful effort from the Egyptian following a Liverpool corner.
A frantic final 15 minutes saw a flurry of goalscoring chances for Liverpool come second only to Matz Sels himself.
Cause for concern?
In the wake of a staunch defensive performance from Nottingham Forest and a deserved point, from the visitors’ perspective, it was a tale of two halves.
Performances like the one displayed in the first half could easily de-rail Liverpool’s season, with Arsenal eager to pounce but the exhibition in the final 30 minutes is a testament to their current position in the league.
The next month or so could be a defining period in Slot’s short but impactful tenure at Anfield.