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Sean Dyche has confessed he was 'gutted' that Nottingham Forest couldn't face Liverpool immediately following their defeat to Manchester City, despite inflicting further anguish on the reigning champions. The Reds suffered a 3-0 reverse at the Etihad before the November international break, then endured an identical scoreline defeat upon their return to action at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool has now been beaten in six of its previous seven Premier League fixtures and has slumped to 11th position in the table, with mounting pressure surrounding its underwhelming campaign.
Following the final whistle, Forest's ex-Everton manager Dyche expressed his delight at seeing his team triumph over the title holders. Whilst commending his players for adjusting effectively to a tactical shift, he also disclosed the caution he had issued them before kick-off.
"The early part (of the game), credit to Liverpool," he said. "I was a bit gutted that there was a two-week break after the Man City game.
"There was a lot of noise, a lot of questioning. It calms, it settles. I warned the players. These have proven what they can do here. They're winners. They've won cups, leagues, all sorts.", reports the Liverpool Echo.
"I said: 'You've got to remind yourselves of that, we need to be ready'. Fair play to them, they started really strong. I thought we defended fantastically well in the early part of the game.
"Then the feel of the game starts changing, you can sense it in the atmosphere of the stadium. Then we scored a goal. And our shape and basics were really good after that.
"And we still had enough in our locker to cause trouble on the break. That's a different way of winning but it's still a way of winning."
He continued: "We changed the tactical style massively today. I said to them: 'We're not passing out, don't worry about that'. People can question me about it, I'm not bothered.
"I said: 'We're going long because these are going to press the life out of you'. Which they tried to do early in the game. And they delivered it, they accepted it.
"I know we've got players who can play. We know we can mix our football and play good football as people call it now. I prefer wins, personally.
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"I thought we'd mix it tactically today, but that's credit to the players. If you're willing to deliver it, it's got a better chance of working. And it did today.
"It's the strangest thing about football. Last year, this football club used it (winning at Anfield) as a catalyst and carried on. We hope for that. But because of my awareness of the division, because I've been here a long time, it doesn't guarantee the next one.
"Of course it's to be enjoyed. I do enjoy it. People think I don't, I do. But it's for the fans and players.
"We've got to go again. It's not solved but it's a good strong marker about this group."
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