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Nottingham Forest's victory on Merseyside in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an otherwise dominant Premier League home record for Liverpool. A second successive win in the current campaign, a decisively stronger success under their manager, was indicative of the problems plaguing the struggling former winners.

The visitors' exemplary performance

Forest were exemplary as they achieved their most significant triumph at the famous ground. Goals from the defender, superb at both ends of the field, the full-back and the superb Morgan Gibbs-White led to a merited win for a squad that also kept a maid clean sheet in twenty division games.

Anfield's difficulties

The Reds, by contrast, were a disorganized as they endured an eighth setback in eleven matches to fall into the lower half of the table. Ineffective at set-plays, again, impotent in attack, as before, with Isak replaced after sixty-eight anonymous moments, and vulnerable at the back, they failed in every area to succumb to a consecutive three-nil defeat.

Early pressure missing payoff

For 30 minutes the home side held the advantage, the sporadic attack from the Forest attacker apart, but the shortcoming to turn promise into the hard currency of finishes hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was given an early-on chance from Cody Gakpo's surge into the box only for Elliot Anderson to execute a excellent line save with his forehead. He had a another effort blocked moments later while dazzling skill from the winger created another close-range opening for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just did enough to pressure the defender into firing over.

Set-piece vulnerability afflicts once more

Arne Slot has repeatedly criticized Liverpool's weakness to fast breaks and set-plays this season. He was given new reason for frustration when Nottingham Forest scored first through a mix of the two.

The Forest manager was shocked after Igor Jesus failed to pass to Domínguez in room on the counter and presented the defender opportunity to intercept. The resulting corner triggered jubilant scenes in the away team's area, though, when Anderson's cross deflected off Van Dijk to the defender and the centre-half drilled an unstoppable shot from six yards into the far corner. There were similarities of the defender's chalked-off goal against Manchester City in the away team's opener with Ndoye positioned in an offside in front of the home side's fit-again shot-stopper the Brazilian.

VAR calls and dispute

Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool captain was quick to highlight the similarities to the match official, the ref. But unlike Andy Robertson at the Manchester, Dan Ndoye made no apparent action in front of Alisson and the goal remained. The league clarified: "The on-field decision of a score was examined and verified by VAR – with it deemed that he was away from the view of Alisson and did not make an move that affected an opponent."

Liverpool were saved by the match officials and video review two minutes after when the striker believed he had doubled the visitors' lead.

Konaté, who endured a dreadful afternoon, made an unconvincing effort to clear an Sangaré's delivery and turned the ball against the attacker, who controlled before slotting the lower corner of the keeper's goal. Madley, in discussion with his assistant, ruled out the strike for a handball that various footage struggled to confirm or refute. The Premier League said: "The decision of no goal was assessed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it considered that Igor Jesus accidentally handled the object before finishing."

Follow-up goal increases cushion

That was the end of the reprieve. Almost immediately of the restart the midfielder did not cut out a delivery towards Williams inside the home box. The full-back evaded from his marker and presented their next goal on a platter for teammate full back Savona, who found the goalkeeper's top corner with a simple side-foot finish.

Tactical adjustments fail

The manager went for broke, bringing off Ibrahima Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after just before the hour and partnering the Les Bleus attacker alongside the Swede. That experiment persisted for only 13 minutes before Isak was substituted following a further quiet display. the winger and the youngster were further added to the hosts' offense but sloppiness in possession and solid opposition backline prevented the hosts at distance.

Late strike wraps up the result

Forest showed the skill and cutting edge that Liverpool were lacking in the attacking phase to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively