The Reds in crisis as the visitors conquer their fortress again with 3-0 triumph

The away side's victory on Merseyside the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an typically dominant Premier League performances at Anfield for Liverpool. This recurrence now, a decisively stronger victory under their manager, was symptomatic of the problems afflicting the struggling former winners.

The visitors' superb showing

Forest were exemplary as they achieved their biggest victory at the famous ground. Goals from Murillo, excellent at either side of the pitch, Savona and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White spurred a deserved success for a team that also maintained a maid clean sheet in twenty division games.

Liverpool's difficulties

The hosts, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they experienced an eighth defeat in 11 games to slide into the second tier of the league. Ineffective at set pieces, again, ineffectual in the final third, consistently, with Isak withdrawn after 68 quiet minutes, and vulnerable at the back, they struggled in each phase to succumb to a consecutive 3-0 reverse.

Early dominance lacking reward

For the opening half-hour the Reds held the initiative, the occasional attack from Gibbs-White excepted, but the inability to convert chances into the tangible reward of goals proved costly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an early opportunity from Gakpo's drive into the area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a superb line save with his head. Mac Allister had a another effort stopped soon after while skilful control from Salah created another near-post chance for Milos Kerkez. An opposition player just managed to put off the back into firing over.

Set-play weakness afflicts once more

The manager has frequently criticized Liverpool's weakness to counterattacks and dead balls this season. There was new reason for frustration when Nottingham Forest scored first through a mix of the each weakness.

The Forest manager was shocked after Igor Jesus did not find Domínguez in room on the fast attack and gave Ibrahima Konaté the opening to intercept. The ensuing corner kick sparked jubilant moments in the visitors' bench, however, when Elliot Anderson's cross touched Virgil van Dijk to Murillo and the central defender fired an unbeatable finish from inside the box into the far corner. There were echoes of Van Dijk's chalked-off finish against Manchester City in the away team's first goal with Ndoye standing in an illegal position in front of Anfield's recovered keeper the goalie.

The review system rulings and controversy

As expected, the Liverpool captain was prompt to mention the parallels to the official, Andrew Madley. In contrast to Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, the forward made no clear movement in front of the keeper and the strike stood. The Premier League stated: "The referee's call of valid strike was examined and upheld by VAR – with it considered that he was outside of the view of Alisson and did not make an move that influenced an defender."

The home side were let off by the match officials and the system 120 seconds later when Igor Jesus believed he had increased the visitors' lead.

Konaté, who suffered a terrible afternoon, made an weak try to remove an the midfielder's cross and turned the sphere against the forward, who handled before slotting the lower corner of the goalkeeper's posts. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, disallowed the effort for a illegal use of hand that multiple replays found it hard to prove or disprove. League officials stated: "The decision of disallowed strike was assessed and upheld by the video assistant – with it deemed that Jesus inadvertently controlled the sphere before scoring."

Follow-up goal extends advantage

So much for the respite. Almost immediately of the restart Mac Allister failed to intercept a pass towards the defender inside the Liverpool 18-yard box. Williams turned from his opponent and set up the visitors' second on a silver platter for fellow wing-back Nicolò Savona, who located the keeper's roof of the net with a simple side-foot finish.

Strategic substitutions do not work

The manager took risks, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and using the French attacker alongside Alexander Isak. That experiment persisted all of 13 minutes before Alexander Isak was replaced following a further anonymous display. the winger and the youngster were further thrown into the Anfield's frontline but carelessness in possession and solid opposition backline held the hosts at bay.

Late goal confirms the outcome

Forest showed the finesse and incisiveness that the hosts were without in the attacking phase to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively