Liverpool in disarray as Forest conquer their fortress for the second time with a convincing win

Nottingham Forest's victory here in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an typically dominant top-flight home campaign for the Merseyside club. Their repeat in the current campaign, a far more convincing triumph under their manager, was indicative of the challenges engulfing the struggling title holders.

The visitors' outstanding display

The team was brilliant as they achieved their most significant triumph at Liverpool's home. Goals from the Brazilian, superb at either side of the playing surface, the full-back and the exceptional Gibbs-White inspired a deserved victory for a squad that also maintained a first clean sheet in twenty Premier League matches.

Anfield's woes

The Reds, in comparison, were a disorganized as they endured an eighth setback in eleven matches to slide into the second tier of the standings. Ineffective at set pieces, again, ineffectual in offense, as before, with Alexander Isak withdrawn after 68 anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they failed in all departments to succumb to a consecutive 3-0 defeat.

Early dominance missing reward

For the opening half-hour Liverpool maintained the advantage, the infrequent counter from the Forest attacker excepted, but the inability to convert chances into the actual outcome of finishes hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an initial opening from Gakpo's drive into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a superb goalline clearance with his head. Mac Allister had a another effort deflected moments later while impressive footwork from the winger produced another short-distance opening for Kerkez. An opposition player just did enough to pressure the back into blazing over.

Set-piece frailty afflicts repeatedly

Arne Slot has frequently criticized his side's susceptibility to transitions and dead balls now. There was further evidence for complaint when Forest took the lead through a combination of the both aspects.

Dyche was surprised after Jesus failed to release the midfielder in an open area on the fast attack and allowed the defender opportunity to intervene. The ensuing corner triggered jubilant moments in the visitors' bench, however, when the midfielder's ball deflected off the captain to the goalscorer and the centre-half drilled an unbeatable strike from inside the box into the back of the net. There were echoes of Van Dijk's disallowed strike against the champions in the Forest's initial score with Ndoye standing in an offside position in front of Liverpool's returning goalkeeper Alisson.

VAR rulings and controversy

Predictably, the Van Dijk was quick to point out the parallels to the official, Andrew Madley. However, unlike the full-back at the City's ground, Ndoye made no apparent gesture in front of the keeper and the score was given. The league clarified: "The on-field decision of valid strike was examined and confirmed by VAR – with it considered that he was not in the view of Alisson and avoided an action that impacted an defender."

Liverpool were saved by the match officials and the system 120 seconds following when Igor Jesus believed he had increased Nottingham Forest's lead.

The defender, who endured a terrible afternoon, made an unconvincing attempt to remove an Sangaré's ball and turned the sphere against the Forest striker, who controlled before finding the bottom corner of the keeper's goal. Andrew Madley, in contact with his assistant referee, chalked off the strike for a illegal use of hand that various reviews found it hard to verify or disprove. The authority announced: "The decision of no goal was checked and upheld by the video assistant – with it deemed that Jesus inadvertently touched the object before netting."

Another goal widens cushion

Any hope from the let-off. Moments of the kick-off Mac Allister failed to intercept a ball towards Williams inside the home 18-yard box. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his marker and laid Forest's second on a plate for partner defender the scorer, who found the goalkeeper's roof of the net with a calm side-foot finish.

Managerial substitutions prove ineffective

Arne Slot went for broke, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after just before the hour and using the French forward next to the Swede. This change continued all of 13 minutes before Alexander Isak was replaced following a further quiet display. Federico Chiesa and the youngster were additionally added to the Anfield's frontline but carelessness in possession and resolute opposition backline kept the hosts at distance.

Final blow wraps up the outcome

The visitors showed the precision and incisiveness that the hosts were missing in the final third to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively