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Forest's success on Merseyside the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an otherwise strong top-flight performances at Anfield for the Merseyside club. A second successive win this season, a much more emphatic success under Sean Dyche, was symptomatic of the problems plaguing the declining former winners.

The visitors' outstanding display

The team was impressive as they recorded their biggest win at Liverpool's home. Goals from Murillo, excellent at either side of the playing surface, the full-back and the magnificent Gibbs-White spurred a deserved victory for a Forest side that also secured a first clean sheet in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Anfield's woes

The hosts, on the other hand, were a mess as they experienced an 8th loss in 11 games to slide into the second tier of the table. Poor at set-plays, again, ineffectual in attack, again, with Alexander Isak replaced after 68 anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they failed in all departments to fall to a second successive heavy loss.

Early pressure without result

For the opening half-hour Liverpool enjoyed the advantage, the sporadic attack from the Forest attacker excepted, but the inability to turn promise into the hard currency of goals hurt them significantly. the midfielder was offered an early-on opportunity from Cody Gakpo's drive into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to produce a brilliant goalline clearance with his skull. Mac Allister had a second shot stopped shortly after while dazzling skill from the winger produced another short-distance opening for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just managed to put off the back into sending high.

Set-play vulnerability strikes repeatedly

Liverpool's coach has often lamented the team's susceptibility to transitions and dead balls now. There was fresh cause for frustration when Nottingham Forest took the lead through a mix of the each weakness.

Sean Dyche was shocked after the forward failed to release the midfielder in an open area on the break and presented Konaté a chance to clear. The following corner kick sparked ecstatic scenes in the visitors' bench, however, when Anderson's delivery touched Virgil van Dijk to Murillo and the centre-half hammered an unstoppable finish from close range into the far corner. This evoked echoes of the captain's disallowed finish against Manchester City in the visitors' initial score with Ndoye standing in an illegal position in front of the home side's returning goalkeeper Alisson.

VAR rulings and dispute

As expected, the the skipper was quick to mention the parallels to the referee, Andrew Madley. But unlike Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, Dan Ndoye made no clear action in front of the keeper and the goal stood. The Premier League confirmed: "The initial ruling of a score was reviewed and verified by the video system – with it considered that Ndoye was not in the sightline of Alisson and did not make an interference that affected an defender."

Liverpool were saved by the referees and VAR two minutes later when the striker thought he had added to Forest's advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who suffered a dreadful afternoon, made an feeble attempt to remove an Ibrahim Sangaré's ball and turned the ball against the Forest striker, who handled before finding the bottom corner of the goalkeeper's net. The referee, in discussion with his linesman, ruled out the effort for a handling that multiple footage struggled to verify or deny. The Premier League announced: "The referee's call of no goal was reviewed and upheld by the video assistant – with it judged that the player unintentionally controlled the ball before netting."

Follow-up strike extends advantage

That was the end of the let-off. Within seconds of the kick-off Alexis Mac Allister did not stop a ball towards Neco Williams inside the Anfield 18-yard box. The former Liverpool defender turned from his defender and presented Forest's second on a silver platter for fellow wing-back Savona, who located the keeper's upper corner with a calm placed shot.

Managerial adjustments prove ineffective

The manager took risks, bringing off the defender with Hugo Ekitiké after 55 minutes and pairing the Les Bleus striker alongside Alexander Isak. That experiment lasted just 13 minutes before the striker was withdrawn following one more quiet display. Federico Chiesa and Ngumoha were also introduced to the hosts' offense but carelessness in ball control and solid Forest defending prevented the hosts at bay.

Final strike confirms the outcome

Forest demonstrated the precision and penetration that Liverpool were missing in the final third to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively