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Nottingham Forest's victory on Merseyside last season was a blip in an usually commanding English top division home record for Liverpool. This recurrence in the current campaign, a far more convincing triumph under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the challenges afflicting the struggling title holders.

Nottingham Forest's superb display

Nottingham Forest proved brilliant as they secured their largest victory at the famous ground. Strikes from the defender, superb at both ends of the playing surface, Nicolò Savona and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White spurred a merited win for a squad that also secured a initial shutout in twenty division fixtures.

Liverpool's struggles

The hosts, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they suffered an 8th loss in eleven matches to fall into the bottom half of the league. Poor at set-plays, repeatedly, ineffectual in the final third, as before, with Alexander Isak substituted after 68 uninfluential moments, and poor in defense, they struggled in each phase to fall to a second successive heavy defeat.

Opening control lacking payoff

For the opening half-hour the Reds maintained the advantage, the sporadic counter from Morgan Gibbs-White apart, but the failure to convert chances into the tangible reward of goals cost them dearly. Mac Allister was offered an early-on chance from Cody Gakpo's run into the penalty area only for Anderson to produce a brilliant line save with his forehead. Mac Allister had a follow-up attempt deflected shortly after while dazzling control from the winger set up another near-post chance for the defender. A Forest defender just did enough to pressure the defender into blazing over.

Set-play vulnerability afflicts again

Liverpool's coach has often criticized Liverpool's susceptibility to transitions and dead balls this season. He was given fresh cause for concern when the visitors opened the scoring through a mix of the both aspects.

Sean Dyche was surprised after the forward did not release Domínguez in space on the counter and presented the defender opportunity to intercept. The following corner sparked jubilant reactions in the Forest dugout, however, when Elliot Anderson's cross glanced off Van Dijk to the goalscorer and the central defender drilled an unstoppable strike from close range into the back of the net. This evoked similarities of the defender's disallowed strike against City in the away team's first goal with Ndoye positioned in an illegal position in front of the home side's recovered shot-stopper the goalie.

The review system rulings and debate

Predictably, the Van Dijk was prompt to point out the comparisons to the referee, the ref. In contrast to Robertson at the Manchester, the forward made no clear action in front of the goalkeeper and the goal stood. The league stated: "The initial ruling of goal was reviewed and confirmed by the video system – with it deemed that the player was outside of the sightline of the goalkeeper and made no an interference that influenced an defender."

The home side were reprieved by the officiating team and the system a short time following when Jesus believed he had doubled Nottingham Forest's advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a terrible day, made an unconvincing effort to remove an the midfielder's ball and directed the object against the attacker, who handled before placing the bottom corner of the goalkeeper's goal. Andrew Madley, in discussion with his assistant referee, disallowed the strike for a illegal use of hand that multiple reviews struggled to verify or refute. The Premier League stated: "The referee's call of invalid score was reviewed and supported by VAR – with it deemed that Igor Jesus unintentionally controlled the sphere before netting."

Second strike extends advantage

That was the end of the respite. Moments of the restart Alexis Mac Allister failed to intercept a delivery towards the defender inside the Anfield 18-yard box. Williams evaded from his opponent and set up Forest's second on a silver platter for fellow wing-back the scorer, who located the keeper's upper corner with a composed side-foot finish.

Managerial adjustments prove ineffective

Arne Slot went for broke, substituting Konaté with Ekitiké after just before the hour and partnering the France attacker with Alexander Isak. This change lasted just a short period before Alexander Isak was replaced following another quiet showing. the winger and the youngster were additionally introduced to the hosts' offense but carelessness in possession and resolute Forest defending kept the home side at arm's length.

Late blow confirms the result

The visitors showed the skill and incisiveness that the hosts were without in the attacking phase to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively