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Nottingham Forest's victory on Merseyside last season seemed an anomaly in an usually strong Premier League home record for Liverpool. This recurrence this season, a decisively stronger triumph under their manager, was indicative of the problems plaguing the struggling champions.

Nottingham Forest's exemplary display

Nottingham Forest proved brilliant as they secured their largest victory at Anfield. Scores from Murillo, superb at both ends of the field, Nicolò Savona and the exceptional Gibbs-White led to a well-earned win for a Forest side that also maintained a initial shutout in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Anfield's struggles

Liverpool, by contrast, were a chaotic as they endured an eighth defeat in 11 games to drop into the second tier of the league. Ineffective at set-plays, repeatedly, ineffectual in offense, as before, with Alexander Isak substituted after sixty-eight uninfluential period, and vulnerable at the back, they faltered in all departments to succumb to a consecutive 3-0 reverse.

Initial pressure missing payoff

For 30 minutes the home side enjoyed the initiative, the infrequent counter from Morgan Gibbs-White aside, but the failure to capitalize on opportunities into the tangible reward of goals cost them dearly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an early-on chance from Cody Gakpo's run into the area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant goalline clearance with his head. He had a second shot blocked soon after while impressive footwork from Salah created another close-range opening for Kerkez. An opposition player just did enough to pressure the defender into firing over.

Set-piece frailty afflicts again

Arne Slot has frequently bemoaned his side's weakness to transitions and set pieces now. He was given new reason for complaint when Forest opened the scoring through a mix of the each weakness.

Sean Dyche was shocked after Igor Jesus was unable to find Domínguez in space on the counter and allowed Ibrahima Konaté opportunity to clear. The following set-piece triggered ecstatic moments in the visitors' bench, nevertheless, when Anderson's cross glanced off the captain to Murillo and the central defender hammered an unbeatable finish from inside the box into the back of the net. This evoked similarities of Van Dijk's chalked-off strike against City in the visitors' initial score with the forward located in an offside in front of Liverpool's fit-again keeper Alisson.

The review system calls and debate

Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool captain was prompt to highlight the similarities to the referee, Andrew Madley. However, unlike Robertson at the City's ground, Dan Ndoye made no apparent gesture in front of Alisson and the score was given. Officials confirmed: "The on-field decision of goal was checked and verified by the video system – with it considered that he was not in the line of vision of the goalkeeper and made no an action that influenced an opponent."

The home side were saved by the referees and the system a short time after when Jesus thought he had added to the visitors' lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a dreadful match, made an unconvincing attempt to deal with an Ibrahim Sangaré's ball and directed the object against the forward, who controlled before finding the lower corner of Alisson's goal. The referee, in communication with his assistant referee, ruled out the effort for a handling that various reviews struggled to confirm or deny. League officials announced: "The ruling of no goal was assessed and upheld by the video assistant – with it considered that the player unintentionally controlled the sphere before finishing."

Another goal extends lead

Any hope from the reprieve. Almost immediately of the kick-off Alexis Mac Allister was unable to cut out a pass towards the defender inside the Anfield box. Williams evaded from his defender and set up the visitors' second on a platter for fellow full back Savona, who found Alisson's upper corner with a simple accurate strike.

Strategic substitutions fail

Arne Slot took risks, replacing the defender with the forward after the 55th minute and using the France forward alongside the Swede. That experiment lasted just less than a quarter-hour before the striker was replaced following a further ineffective showing. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were further added to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in ball control and sturdy Forest defending held the home side at distance.

Late goal seals the result

Forest demonstrated the finesse and cutting edge that the home team were missing in the attacking phase to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively