Anfield's team in crisis as the visitors storm their fortress once more with a convincing win

Forest's victory here the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an otherwise dominant top-flight home record for the hosts. Their repeat in the current campaign, a far more convincing victory under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the problems plaguing the faltering champions.

Forest's superb performance

Forest were impressive as they recorded their biggest victory at Liverpool's home. Goals from Murillo, outstanding at either side of the playing surface, Nicolò Savona and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White inspired a merited success for a Forest side that also secured a initial shutout in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Liverpool's struggles

Liverpool, in comparison, were a disorganized as they experienced an eighth setback in 11 matches to drop into the second tier of the league. Ineffective at dead-ball situations, again, impotent in the final third, consistently, with Isak replaced after sixty-eight anonymous minutes, and vulnerable at the back, they faltered in every area to fall to a back-to-back three-nil defeat.

Opening dominance without reward

For half an hour Liverpool enjoyed the upper hand, the occasional attack from Morgan Gibbs-White excepted, but the inability to turn promise into the actual outcome of goals hurt them significantly. the midfielder was given an initial opening from Cody Gakpo's run into the area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant desperate block with his head. He had a follow-up attempt stopped shortly after while dazzling footwork from Mohamed Salah produced another short-distance opportunity for Milos Kerkez. An opposition player just succeeded to disturb the defender into blazing over.

Set-piece vulnerability hits once more

Arne Slot has repeatedly criticized the team's susceptibility to transitions and set pieces now. There was further evidence for complaint when Nottingham Forest took the lead through a blend of the each weakness.

Sean Dyche was surprised after Jesus was unable to pass to Nicolás Domínguez in space on the break and presented Konaté opportunity to intervene. The resulting corner caused celebratory reactions in the away team's area, however, when Elliot Anderson's delivery touched Virgil van Dijk to Murillo and the central defender fired an unbeatable strike from six yards into the opposite side. This evoked reminders of the defender's disallowed finish against the champions in the visitors' opener with Ndoye standing in an illegal position in front of Anfield's returning shot-stopper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and controversy

Predictably, the the skipper was swift to highlight the similarities to the match official, Madley. However, unlike Andy Robertson at the City's ground, Dan Ndoye made no obvious action in front of the goalkeeper and the strike stood. The league confirmed: "The initial ruling of goal was examined and upheld by VAR – with it considered that the player was away from the sightline of Alisson and made no an move that affected an opponent."

The home side were saved by the referees and the system a short time later when Igor Jesus thought he had doubled the visitors' lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who suffered a terrible day, made an feeble effort to deal with an Ibrahim Sangaré's ball and turned the object against the attacker, who controlled before placing the lower corner of the goalkeeper's goal. The referee, in communication with his linesman, disallowed the strike for a handball that various footage were unable to verify or disprove. The Premier League stated: "The decision of invalid score was checked and upheld by the system – with it deemed that Jesus inadvertently touched the ball before scoring."

Second score extends lead

That was the end of the respite. Moments of the resumption Mac Allister did not cut out a delivery towards Neco Williams inside the home penalty area. The full-back spun away from his marker and set up the visitors' second on a platter for partner full back Savona, who located the goalkeeper's upper corner with a simple placed shot.

Strategic adjustments do not work

The manager went for broke, replacing Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and pairing the Les Bleus striker with Isak. The tactical shift persisted all of less than a quarter-hour before the striker was withdrawn following a further quiet showing. Chiesa and Ngumoha were further thrown into the Liverpool attack but inefficiency in possession and resolute Forest defending prevented the Reds at arm's length.

Final strike seals the result

The visitors showed the finesse and cutting edge that Liverpool were without in the final third to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively