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The away side's win on Merseyside in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an otherwise dominant top-flight home campaign for Liverpool. A second successive win now, a much more emphatic victory under their manager, was indicative of the issues engulfing the struggling champions.

The visitors' superb performance

The team was impressive as they recorded their most significant triumph at Anfield. Strikes from Murillo, excellent at either side of the field, Nicolò Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White inspired a well-earned win for a team that also maintained a initial shutout in twenty division games.

Liverpool's struggles

The hosts, in comparison, were a chaotic as they experienced an eighth setback in 11 matches to fall into the lower half of the standings. Ineffective at set pieces, repeatedly, unproductive in the final third, consistently, with the striker substituted after 68 anonymous moments, and poor in defense, they faltered in all departments to succumb to a consecutive 3-0 loss.

Early control without reward

For 30 minutes the Reds maintained the upper hand, the sporadic break from Morgan Gibbs-White aside, but the shortcoming to turn promise into the hard currency of goals cost them dearly. Mac Allister was offered an early chance from Cody Gakpo's surge into the area only for Elliot Anderson to deliver a brilliant desperate block with his forehead. He had a second shot deflected moments later while dazzling control from the winger produced another short-distance opening for the defender. The visiting defender just did enough to pressure the defender into sending high.

Set-piece frailty afflicts repeatedly

The manager has often criticized Liverpool's susceptibility to transitions and set-plays now. There was new reason for frustration when Nottingham Forest scored first through a combination of the each weakness.

The Forest manager was surprised after the forward was unable to pass to Domínguez in space on the counter and allowed Ibrahima Konaté a chance to intervene. The following set-piece sparked celebratory scenes in the Forest dugout, however, when the midfielder's delivery glanced off Van Dijk to Murillo and the central defender hammered an unstoppable strike from six yards into the opposite side. It brought echoes of the captain's ruled out finish against Manchester City in the away team's initial score with the forward standing in an offside in front of Liverpool's fit-again keeper Alisson.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and debate

Unsurprisingly, the Van Dijk was quick to highlight the comparisons to the official, Andrew Madley. In contrast to the full-back at the City's ground, Dan Ndoye made no apparent gesture in front of the goalkeeper and the goal stood. Officials stated: "The referee's call of valid strike was examined and verified by the video system – with it judged that he was outside of the line of vision of Alisson and made no an interference that influenced an player."

The home side were reprieved by the officiating team and the system 120 seconds following when Jesus believed he had increased Forest's cushion.

Ibrahima Konaté, who experienced a poor day, made an unconvincing effort to remove an Sangaré's cross and directed the ball against the attacker, who controlled before slotting the bottom corner of the keeper's posts. Andrew Madley, in discussion with his assistant referee, chalked off the strike for a handball that various replays found it hard to prove or deny. League officials announced: "The referee's call of no goal was reviewed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it considered that the player unintentionally controlled the object before netting."

Another goal extends cushion

So much for the reprieve. Within seconds of the kick-off the midfielder did not cut out a pass towards Williams inside the Liverpool 18-yard box. The former Liverpool defender spun away from his marker and presented their next goal on a plate for teammate wing-back the scorer, who located Alisson's upper corner with a composed accurate strike.

Managerial changes prove ineffective

Arne Slot made changes, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after just before the hour and using the Les Bleus forward next to the Swede. That experiment continued just a short period before Alexander Isak was substituted following another anonymous showing. the winger and Ngumoha were additionally introduced to the Liverpool attack but inefficiency in ball control and resolute opposition backline held the Reds at arm's length.

Concluding strike seals the result

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the skill and cutting edge that the hosts were lacking in the opposition half to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively