Liverpool facing turmoil as Forest dominate Anfield for the second time with three-nil win

Nottingham Forest's win here the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an usually dominant English top division home campaign for the Merseyside club. A second successive win now, a much more emphatic success under the Forest boss, was indicative of the challenges engulfing the declining champions.

The visitors' outstanding showing

Forest were brilliant as they recorded their biggest victory at Anfield. Strikes from Murillo, outstanding at both ends of the pitch, Savona and the exceptional Gibbs-White led to a deserved victory for a Forest side that also secured a first clean sheet in twenty top-flight fixtures.

Liverpool's struggles

The Reds, by contrast, were a mess as they experienced an 8th loss in 11 fixtures to drop into the lower half of the standings. Weak at set-plays, once more, ineffectual in attack, again, with Isak substituted after 68 uninfluential minutes, and vulnerable at the back, they faltered in each phase to yield to a second successive 3-0 loss.

Early pressure without reward

For 30 minutes Liverpool enjoyed the advantage, the sporadic attack from the Forest attacker apart, but the shortcoming to capitalize on opportunities into the hard currency of finishes hurt them significantly. the midfielder was presented with an initial opening from Cody Gakpo's surge into the area only for Anderson to produce a brilliant goalline clearance with his head. Mac Allister had a another effort stopped shortly after while skilful footwork from Mohamed Salah set up another short-distance opportunity for Kerkez. The visiting defender just did enough to put off the back into firing over.

Set-play frailty afflicts once more

Arne Slot has repeatedly bemoaned the team's weakness to fast breaks and dead balls now. There was fresh cause for complaint when the visitors opened the scoring through a combination of the each weakness.

The Forest manager was surprised after the forward did not release Domínguez in room on the break and presented the defender the opening to intercept. The ensuing corner kick caused ecstatic scenes in the Forest dugout, nevertheless, when Anderson's cross glanced off Virgil van Dijk to the defender and the central defender hammered an unbeatable strike from close range into the opposite side. It brought reminders of Van Dijk's chalked-off finish against the champions in the away team's initial score with the forward located in an offside position in front of Liverpool's fit-again keeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and debate

Unsurprisingly, the the skipper was swift to highlight the comparisons to the referee, Madley. But unlike Robertson at the City's ground, Ndoye made no apparent action in front of the goalkeeper and the strike remained. The league clarified: "The initial ruling of goal was examined and verified by the video system – with it considered that the player was not in the line of vision of Alisson and avoided an action that impacted an player."

The Reds were let off by the match officials and the system 120 seconds following when Jesus was convinced he had increased Nottingham Forest's cushion.

The defender, who experienced a poor day, made an unconvincing effort to deal with an Sangaré's delivery and turned the object against the Forest striker, who brought down before finding the bottom corner of the goalkeeper's goal. Andrew Madley, in discussion with his assistant, chalked off the effort for a handball that several reviews struggled to prove or deny. The Premier League announced: "The decision of no goal was reviewed and confirmed by VAR – with it considered that Jesus inadvertently handled the ball before netting."

Second goal widens lead

So much for the reprieve. Within seconds of the kick-off the midfielder was unable to cut out a delivery towards the defender inside the home box. Williams evaded from his defender and presented their next goal on a silver platter for teammate wing-back Savona, who picked out the goalkeeper's upper corner with a composed accurate strike.

Tactical adjustments do not work

Liverpool's coach went for broke, substituting Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and using the France forward alongside Isak. The tactical shift persisted for only less than a quarter-hour before Alexander Isak was substituted following one more quiet showing. Federico Chiesa and Ngumoha were additionally added to the Liverpool attack but sloppiness in ball control and sturdy opposition backline kept the hosts at bay.

Final strike wraps up the result

The visitors demonstrated the skill and cutting edge that the hosts were without in the attacking phase to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively