Anfield's team in crisis as Forest storm home ground once more with three-nil triumph

Forest's win at Anfield last season seemed an anomaly in an usually dominant English top division performances at Anfield for Liverpool. A second successive win now, a decisively stronger success under the Forest boss, was symptomatic of the challenges afflicting the struggling title holders.

Nottingham Forest's outstanding showing

Forest were impressive as they secured their most significant victory at the famous ground. Scores from Murillo, outstanding at both ends of the pitch, Nicolò Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White spurred a merited victory for a squad that also kept a first clean sheet in twenty top-flight fixtures.

Anfield's difficulties

The Reds, on the other hand, were a disorganized as they experienced an 8th defeat in eleven fixtures to fall into the lower half of the standings. Weak at dead-ball situations, again, impotent in the final third, consistently, with Alexander Isak replaced after sixty-eight anonymous minutes, and defensively weak, they faltered in all departments to fall to a second successive heavy loss.

Initial control lacking result

For half an hour the Reds enjoyed the upper hand, the sporadic break from the Forest attacker excepted, but the inability to convert chances into the hard currency of finishes hurt them significantly. the midfielder was offered an initial opening from Gakpo's run into the box only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant desperate block with his forehead. Mac Allister had a follow-up attempt deflected soon after while dazzling skill from Mohamed Salah created another close-range chance for Kerkez. An opposition player just did enough to put off the full-back into firing over.

Set-play vulnerability afflicts once more

Liverpool's coach has repeatedly lamented Liverpool's weakness to fast breaks and set pieces now. This provided fresh cause for complaint when Forest took the lead through a blend of the each weakness.

Sean Dyche was shocked after Jesus failed to find Domínguez in an open area on the counter and allowed Ibrahima Konaté a chance to clear. The following corner sparked ecstatic scenes in the Forest dugout, nevertheless, when the midfielder's delivery glanced off Van Dijk to the goalscorer and the defender drilled an irresistible finish from six yards into the back of the net. It brought reminders of the captain's disallowed finish against Manchester City in the Forest's initial score with Dan Ndoye positioned in an offside position in front of Anfield's fit-again shot-stopper the Brazilian.

VAR rulings and debate

Predictably, the Liverpool captain was swift to point out the comparisons to the match official, Andrew Madley. But unlike Robertson at the City's ground, Dan Ndoye made no apparent movement in front of Alisson and the score stood. Officials stated: "The on-field decision of a score was reviewed and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Ndoye was not in the sightline of the goalkeeper and made no an action that influenced an opponent."

Liverpool were saved by the officiating team and the system two minutes later when the striker believed he had added to Nottingham Forest's cushion.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a terrible day, made an feeble attempt to deal with an Ibrahim Sangaré's delivery and turned the ball against the forward, who brought down before slotting the bottom corner of the keeper's posts. The referee, in communication with his assistant, ruled out the effort for a handling that multiple footage found it hard to verify or disprove. The Premier League said: "The referee's call of no goal was assessed and upheld by the video assistant – with it considered that Jesus inadvertently controlled the sphere before finishing."

Follow-up strike increases advantage

So much for the reprieve. Within seconds of the restart Mac Allister was unable to stop a ball towards Williams inside the Anfield penalty area. The full-back evaded from his opponent and laid their next goal on a silver platter for teammate wing-back the scorer, who picked out the keeper's roof of the net with a simple placed shot.

Managerial changes do not work

The manager went for broke, replacing Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after 55 minutes and pairing the Les Bleus forward alongside the Swede. That experiment continued for only less than a quarter-hour before Isak was substituted following a further anonymous performance. Chiesa and the youngster were additionally introduced to the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in play and solid visitors' defense kept the hosts at distance.

Final blow seals the result

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the skill and cutting edge that Liverpool were without in the final third to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively