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The away side's victory here the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an typically commanding top-flight home campaign for the Merseyside club. Their repeat now, a far more convincing success under their manager, was a clear sign of the issues plaguing the declining former winners.

Nottingham Forest's exemplary showing

Forest were exemplary as they achieved their largest triumph at the famous ground. Strikes from the Brazilian, excellent at both ends of the field, the full-back and the magnificent Morgan Gibbs-White led to a deserved success for a Forest side that also kept a maid clean sheet in twenty top-flight matches.

Anfield's struggles

The hosts, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they endured an eighth loss in 11 games to slide into the bottom half of the standings. Poor at set pieces, again, ineffectual in attack, as before, with the striker withdrawn after sixty-eight anonymous moments, and poor in defense, they failed in every area to succumb to a back-to-back heavy loss.

Early control lacking payoff

For half an hour Liverpool held the initiative, the occasional break from Gibbs-White aside, but the shortcoming to capitalize on opportunities into the tangible reward of scores hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an initial opening from the forward's surge into the area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant desperate block with his forehead. Mac Allister had a another effort stopped soon after while impressive footwork from Mohamed Salah created another near-post opening for the defender. A Forest defender just did enough to put off the full-back into firing over.

Set-piece weakness strikes repeatedly

Liverpool's coach has often criticized his side's susceptibility to transitions and set-plays in the current campaign. This provided new reason for complaint when Nottingham Forest scored first through a mix of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was aghast after Jesus was unable to pass to the midfielder in space on the fast attack and gave the defender a chance to intercept. The resulting corner sparked ecstatic moments in the Forest dugout, though, when Elliot Anderson's cross glanced off Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half hammered an unstoppable shot from close range into the opposite side. It brought similarities of Van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City in the visitors' first goal with Ndoye located in an offside position in front of the home side's fit-again goalkeeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee calls and dispute

Predictably, the Van Dijk was prompt to highlight the similarities to the referee, the ref. In contrast to Robertson at the City's ground, Ndoye made no apparent gesture in front of the keeper and the score was given. The Premier League stated: "The referee's call of a score was examined and verified by VAR – with it judged that he was outside of the view of the goalkeeper and made no an action that affected an player."

The Reds were reprieved by the match officials and VAR 120 seconds later when Igor Jesus was convinced he had increased the visitors' advantage.

The defender, who endured a dreadful day, made an unconvincing try to deal with an the midfielder's ball and directed the sphere against the attacker, who handled before finding the bottom corner of the keeper's net. The referee, in discussion with his assistant, chalked off the effort for a illegal use of hand that various footage struggled to prove or deny. League officials stated: "The decision of no goal was assessed and upheld by the system – with it judged that the player accidentally handled the ball before netting."

Another strike extends lead

Any hope from the reprieve. Within seconds of the resumption Alexis Mac Allister was unable to cut out a ball towards Neco Williams inside the Liverpool penalty area. Williams turned from his defender and presented the visitors' second on a silver platter for teammate defender Savona, who located the keeper's upper corner with a simple accurate strike.

Strategic changes prove ineffective

Arne Slot took risks, substituting the defender with Hugo Ekitiké after the 55th minute and pairing the French attacker alongside the Swede. This change lasted just a short period before the striker was substituted following a further ineffective performance. Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were additionally added to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in possession and solid visitors' defense prevented the home side at bay.

Late goal wraps up the victory

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the skill and cutting edge that the home team were missing in the opposition half to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively