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Forest's success here in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an typically strong English top division home campaign for Liverpool. This recurrence this season, a much more emphatic triumph under their manager, was symptomatic of the issues afflicting the faltering champions.

Forest's superb performance

Forest were brilliant as they recorded their largest triumph at Anfield. Strikes from the defender, superb at both ends of the field, Nicolò Savona and the exceptional Gibbs-White spurred a deserved success for a squad that also secured a initial shutout in twenty division games.

Liverpool's woes

The Reds, in comparison, were a mess as they experienced an eighth loss in 11 fixtures to drop into the second tier of the standings. Ineffective at dead-ball situations, once more, unproductive in attack, consistently, with Isak substituted after sixty-eight anonymous minutes, and vulnerable at the back, they faltered in every area to fall to a consecutive 3-0 reverse.

Initial control missing reward

For the opening half-hour the Reds enjoyed the advantage, the infrequent break from Gibbs-White apart, but the inability to convert chances into the actual outcome of finishes proved costly. Alexis Mac Allister was given an early-on opportunity from Gakpo's drive into the area only for Anderson to deliver a superb goalline clearance with his head. Mac Allister had a second shot blocked soon after while skilful footwork from the winger created another short-distance opening for Milos Kerkez. The visiting defender just managed to disturb the full-back into firing over.

Set-play frailty afflicts repeatedly

The manager has frequently bemoaned Liverpool's vulnerability to counterattacks and set pieces in the current campaign. There was new reason for frustration when Nottingham Forest took the lead through a blend of the two.

Dyche was surprised after Igor Jesus was unable to find the midfielder in space on the break and gave Konaté a chance to intervene. The ensuing corner kick triggered ecstatic reactions in the away team's area, however, when Elliot Anderson's ball touched Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half fired an irresistible finish from close range into the opposite side. This evoked similarities of Van Dijk's disallowed strike against City in the visitors' first goal with Ndoye located in an offside in front of Liverpool's recovered shot-stopper the goalie.

The review system rulings and controversy

Predictably, the Liverpool captain was swift to highlight the comparisons to the referee, Madley. However, unlike Robertson at the Manchester, the forward made no clear gesture in front of the goalkeeper and the goal remained. The Premier League clarified: "The referee's call of goal was examined and upheld by VAR – with it considered that the player was not in the view of the goalkeeper and avoided an move that influenced an opponent."

The home side were saved by the officiating team and video review two minutes following when the striker believed he had increased the visitors' advantage.

Konaté, who endured a dreadful afternoon, made an unconvincing attempt to remove an Ibrahim Sangaré's cross and directed the sphere against the attacker, who handled before slotting the bottom corner of the keeper's goal. Andrew Madley, in communication with his assistant, disallowed the effort for a illegal use of hand that various replays were unable to verify or refute. The Premier League stated: "The decision of invalid score was reviewed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it judged that the player accidentally touched the ball before scoring."

Follow-up strike increases cushion

That was the end of the reprieve. Within seconds of the resumption Mac Allister was unable to stop a ball towards the defender inside the Anfield penalty area. Williams spun away from his marker and laid the visitors' second on a plate for teammate wing-back the scorer, who found the keeper's top corner with a calm side-foot finish.

Strategic adjustments fail

Arne Slot went for broke, bringing off the defender with Ekitiké after just before the hour and using the French striker with Alexander Isak. That experiment continued all of a short period before Isak was replaced following another anonymous display. Federico Chiesa and the youngster were further added to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in play and resolute visitors' defense prevented the Reds at distance.

Concluding strike seals the result

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the finesse and incisiveness that Liverpool were missing in the attacking phase to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively