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Forest's win here last season appeared a one-off in an typically commanding Premier League home campaign for the hosts. A second successive win in the current campaign, a much more emphatic triumph under Sean Dyche, was symptomatic of the issues engulfing the declining title holders.

The visitors' superb performance

The team was exemplary as they recorded their largest win at the famous ground. Goals from the defender, outstanding at both ends of the playing surface, Nicolò Savona and the superb the playmaker led to a deserved victory for a team that also maintained a initial shutout in 20 Premier League matches.

Anfield's difficulties

Liverpool, by contrast, were a mess as they endured an 8th setback in 11 games to drop into the lower half of the table. Weak at set-plays, again, impotent in the final third, as before, with Alexander Isak substituted after sixty-eight uninfluential minutes, and defensively weak, they struggled in all departments to yield to a second successive heavy defeat.

Early pressure without result

For 30 minutes Liverpool enjoyed the initiative, the sporadic counter from Gibbs-White aside, but the failure to convert chances into the hard currency of goals hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was offered an early-on opening from Gakpo's surge into the box only for the Forest player to deliver a excellent desperate block with his head. He had a another effort stopped soon after while impressive footwork from Mohamed Salah produced another short-distance chance for Kerkez. A Forest defender just did enough to put off the defender into sending high.

Set-play frailty afflicts again

Liverpool's coach has repeatedly lamented his side's weakness to fast breaks and dead balls now. This provided fresh cause for frustration when Nottingham Forest took the lead through a combination of the two.

Dyche was aghast after the forward failed to find Domínguez in an open area on the fast attack and gave Konaté the opening to intercept. The following corner caused celebratory moments in the visitors' bench, though, when the midfielder's ball glanced off Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the central defender hammered an irresistible strike from close range into the opposite side. There were echoes of the defender's chalked-off finish against Manchester City in the away team's initial score with Dan Ndoye positioned in an offside in front of the home side's returning goalkeeper the goalie.

The review system decisions and debate

As expected, the Van Dijk was quick to highlight the comparisons to the official, the ref. But unlike Andy Robertson at the Manchester, the forward made no apparent gesture in front of the goalkeeper and the score remained. The league stated: "The on-field decision of goal was reviewed and verified by VAR – with it considered that Ndoye was not in the view of the keeper and did not make an interference that affected an defender."

Liverpool were reprieved by the officiating team and VAR 120 seconds later when Jesus was convinced he had increased the visitors' cushion.

The defender, who experienced a terrible match, made an feeble try to clear an the midfielder's cross and turned the sphere against the Forest striker, who controlled before placing the net of the goalkeeper's posts. Madley, in discussion with his linesman, chalked off the strike for a handling that several replays found it hard to verify or disprove. League officials stated: "The ruling of no goal was assessed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it deemed that the player unintentionally touched the object before scoring."

Another strike increases advantage

So much for the respite. Moments of the resumption Alexis Mac Allister did not cut out a pass towards Neco Williams inside the home 18-yard box. Williams spun away from his marker and laid the visitors' second on a silver platter for fellow full back Nicolò Savona, who located the keeper's top corner with a composed side-foot finish.

Tactical changes do not work

The manager made changes, bringing off Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after the 55th minute and using the Les Bleus forward alongside Alexander Isak. This change continued for only less than a quarter-hour before the striker was replaced following one more ineffective showing. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were additionally introduced to the Anfield's frontline but sloppiness in possession and resolute visitors' defense kept the hosts at arm's length.

Concluding goal wraps up the outcome

The visitors demonstrated the skill and incisiveness that the home team were lacking in the opposition half to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively