Forest's win at Anfield the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an typically strong top-flight home record for Liverpool. Their repeat this season, a far more convincing success under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the challenges plaguing the declining title holders.
Nottingham Forest's exemplary showing
The team was brilliant as they recorded their largest victory at the famous ground. Scores from the defender, outstanding at either side of the pitch, Nicolò Savona and the superb Gibbs-White inspired a well-earned victory for a Forest side that also kept a first clean sheet in twenty division fixtures.
Anfield's difficulties
Liverpool, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they suffered an eighth loss in 11 games to slide into the second tier of the league. Weak at set pieces, again, ineffectual in offense, again, with Alexander Isak withdrawn after 68 anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they failed in all departments to succumb to a back-to-back three-nil defeat.
Opening dominance missing payoff
For the opening half-hour the Reds enjoyed the initiative, the sporadic attack from the Forest attacker aside, but the inability to convert chances into the tangible reward of scores hurt them significantly. Mac Allister was offered an early-on opportunity from Cody Gakpo's run into the area only for Anderson to execute a excellent line save with his skull. The Liverpool midfielder had a another effort stopped moments later while dazzling footwork from the winger created another close-range opportunity for Kerkez. A Forest defender just did enough to pressure the defender into blazing over.
Set-play vulnerability strikes again
Arne Slot has repeatedly criticized Liverpool's weakness to fast breaks and set-plays this season. There was new reason for complaint when Forest opened the scoring through a mix of the both aspects.
The Forest manager was shocked after the forward was unable to find Domínguez in space on the counter and gave Ibrahima Konaté a chance to intervene. The following corner caused ecstatic moments in the visitors' bench, however, when the midfielder's cross touched Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the central defender fired an unbeatable shot from close range into the opposite side. This evoked similarities of the captain's ruled out strike against the champions in the away team's initial score with Ndoye standing in an offside in front of the home side's fit-again keeper Alisson.
Video Assistant Referee decisions and dispute
As expected, the the skipper was swift to point out the parallels to the official, Andrew Madley. However, unlike Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, Dan Ndoye made no obvious movement in front of the goalkeeper and the strike was given. The league clarified: "The on-field decision of goal was examined and verified by the video system – with it judged that Ndoye was outside of the line of vision of the goalkeeper and did not make an action that influenced an opponent."
The home side were let off by the officiating team and VAR a short time later when the striker thought he had added to Forest's cushion.
The defender, who experienced a dreadful afternoon, made an feeble effort to clear an the midfielder's cross and turned the sphere against the attacker, who controlled before finding the bottom corner of Alisson's goal. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, chalked off the attempt for a illegal use of hand that several replays were unable to verify or deny. The authority stated: "The referee's call of disallowed strike was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it considered that Jesus accidentally handled the sphere before scoring."
Second score increases cushion
So much for the reprieve. Within seconds of the kick-off the midfielder did not stop a ball towards Neco Williams inside the Liverpool 18-yard box. Williams spun away from his marker and laid the visitors' second on a silver platter for fellow wing-back Savona, who picked out the goalkeeper's upper corner with a simple side-foot finish.
Tactical substitutions prove ineffective
The manager went for broke, bringing off the defender with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and using the French striker alongside Alexander Isak. That experiment continued just 13 minutes before Alexander Isak was replaced following one more quiet performance. the winger and the youngster were further introduced to the Liverpool attack but sloppiness in possession and resolute opposition backline kept the hosts at arm's length.
Final goal wraps up the outcome
Forest displayed the finesse and penetration that Liverpool were lacking in the attacking phase to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively