🔗 Share this article

The away side's victory on Merseyside in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an typically strong top-flight home record for the Merseyside club. This recurrence now, a much more emphatic triumph under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the challenges engulfing the declining title holders.

Forest's superb display

Forest were exemplary as they recorded their biggest win at Anfield. Goals from Murillo, superb at either side of the playing surface, Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White inspired a deserved win for a squad that also secured a first clean sheet in twenty top-flight fixtures.

The home side's struggles

The hosts, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they experienced an 8th setback in eleven games to fall into the lower half of the table. Weak at dead-ball situations, again, ineffectual in offense, as before, with the striker withdrawn after sixty-eight uninfluential minutes, and defensively weak, they struggled in all departments to yield to a second successive 3-0 defeat.

Early control without reward

For 30 minutes the home side enjoyed the upper hand, the occasional attack from Gibbs-White excepted, but the shortcoming to convert chances into the hard currency of scores hurt them significantly. the midfielder was offered an early-on opportunity from Cody Gakpo's run into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to execute a superb line save with his forehead. Mac Allister had a second shot blocked moments later while impressive control from Salah set up another close-range opening for the defender. An opposition player just succeeded to pressure the back into sending high.

Dead-ball frailty hits again

The manager has often bemoaned the team's vulnerability to counterattacks and set-plays this season. He was given new reason for concern when Forest took the lead through a blend of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was aghast after Jesus failed to release the midfielder in an open area on the counter and gave Konaté opportunity to intervene. The resulting set-piece sparked ecstatic scenes in the visitors' bench, nevertheless, when Anderson's delivery deflected off the captain to Murillo and the central defender drilled an unstoppable finish from six yards into the far corner. There were echoes of Van Dijk's ruled out finish against City in the visitors' opener with Ndoye standing in an offside position in front of the home side's recovered goalkeeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee calls and dispute

Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool captain was swift to point out the similarities to the official, the ref. However, unlike Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, Ndoye made no clear gesture in front of the goalkeeper and the goal remained. Officials confirmed: "The on-field decision of a score was reviewed and verified by VAR – with it judged that he was away from the view of the keeper and avoided an interference that influenced an opponent."

The home side were saved by the referees and video review two minutes after when Igor Jesus believed he had added to Nottingham Forest's lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a dreadful match, made an weak try to deal with an Ibrahim Sangaré's cross and directed the sphere against the Forest striker, who controlled before placing the net of the keeper's posts. The referee, in discussion with his assistant referee, chalked off the strike for a handling that multiple replays struggled to confirm or deny. The Premier League said: "The referee's call of no goal was assessed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it considered that Igor Jesus accidentally controlled the ball before netting."

Follow-up strike increases cushion

So much for the reprieve. Almost immediately of the kick-off Alexis Mac Allister did not intercept a delivery towards Williams inside the Anfield penalty area. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his opponent and presented Forest's second on a silver platter for partner defender the scorer, who picked out the keeper's top corner with a composed accurate strike.

Managerial changes prove ineffective

Arne Slot went for broke, bringing off the defender with Hugo Ekitiké after the 55th minute and using the France attacker next to Alexander Isak. This change continued just 13 minutes before Isak was replaced following one more quiet display. the winger and Rio Ngumoha were further added to the Anfield's frontline but sloppiness in ball control and sturdy opposition backline held the hosts at distance.

Final goal wraps up the result

The visitors displayed the skill and incisiveness that the hosts were missing in the opposition half to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively