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Nottingham Forest's victory at Anfield last season appeared a one-off in an typically strong Premier League home campaign for the hosts. This recurrence this season, a far more convincing triumph under the Forest boss, was a clear sign of the issues plaguing the declining champions.

Nottingham Forest's superb display

Nottingham Forest proved impressive as they secured their most significant win at Liverpool's home. Scores from the defender, excellent at both ends of the field, Nicolò Savona and the superb Gibbs-White led to a merited win for a Forest side that also secured a maid clean sheet in twenty top-flight fixtures.

Anfield's struggles

The hosts, by contrast, were a mess as they suffered an eighth defeat in eleven matches to fall into the bottom half of the table. Ineffective at set-plays, once more, ineffectual in offense, again, with the striker substituted after 68 anonymous moments, and defensively weak, they faltered in all departments to fall to a back-to-back three-nil loss.

Early control lacking reward

For half an hour Liverpool held the upper hand, the occasional break from Gibbs-White aside, but the shortcoming to capitalize on opportunities into the hard currency of goals cost them dearly. the midfielder was offered an early chance from the forward's drive into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant desperate block with his head. The Liverpool midfielder had a follow-up attempt deflected soon after while dazzling footwork from Salah set up another short-distance opening for Kerkez. An opposition player just managed to disturb the back into sending high.

Set-piece weakness afflicts repeatedly

The manager has frequently bemoaned his side's weakness to transitions and dead balls this season. This provided further evidence for complaint when the visitors scored first through a blend of the two.

Dyche was shocked after Jesus failed to find Domínguez in an open area on the counter and allowed the defender opportunity to intercept. The resulting corner kick caused ecstatic moments in the Forest dugout, nevertheless, when the midfielder's delivery glanced off the captain to Murillo and the centre-half hammered an unstoppable finish from six yards into the back of the net. There were echoes of Van Dijk's disallowed goal against the champions in the away team's opener with Ndoye standing in an offside in front of Liverpool's fit-again shot-stopper the Brazilian.

VAR decisions and dispute

Predictably, the Van Dijk was prompt to mention the comparisons to the match official, the ref. In contrast to Andy Robertson at the City's ground, the forward made no apparent gesture in front of Alisson and the goal was given. The league clarified: "The initial ruling of a score was examined and confirmed by the video system – with it considered that the player was outside of the sightline of Alisson and avoided an interference that influenced an defender."

Liverpool were saved by the officiating team and the system 120 seconds later when Igor Jesus believed he had doubled Nottingham Forest's cushion.

Konaté, who experienced a poor day, made an unconvincing effort to clear an Sangaré's cross and directed the sphere against the forward, who brought down before placing the lower corner of Alisson's net. Andrew Madley, in discussion with his linesman, disallowed the effort for a illegal use of hand that several replays struggled to verify or refute. The authority stated: "The referee's call of invalid score was assessed and upheld by the video assistant – with it judged that Igor Jesus unintentionally controlled the ball before scoring."

Another strike extends advantage

Any hope from the let-off. Within seconds of the resumption the midfielder failed to stop a delivery towards Neco Williams inside the home 18-yard box. Williams evaded from his defender and presented the visitors' second on a platter for fellow wing-back Nicolò Savona, who found the keeper's top corner with a composed placed shot.

Managerial adjustments fail

Liverpool's coach took risks, replacing the defender with Hugo Ekitiké after 55 minutes and partnering the French attacker with the Swede. The tactical shift continued all of a short period before Alexander Isak was withdrawn following a further ineffective showing. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were also thrown into the Liverpool attack but carelessness in possession and sturdy visitors' defense prevented the home side at distance.

Concluding goal confirms the outcome

The visitors demonstrated the finesse and incisiveness that Liverpool were lacking in the final third to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively