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Forest's victory here the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an usually commanding top-flight performances at Anfield for the Merseyside club. This recurrence this season, a decisively stronger victory under their manager, was indicative of the challenges afflicting the struggling title holders.

The visitors' exemplary performance

Nottingham Forest proved brilliant as they recorded their largest victory at Anfield. Goals from the defender, superb at each end of the playing surface, Savona and the superb the playmaker inspired a merited victory for a Forest side that also kept a maid clean sheet in twenty Premier League fixtures.

Liverpool's struggles

The Reds, in comparison, were a chaotic as they experienced an eighth loss in 11 matches to slide into the second tier of the table. Ineffective at set-plays, repeatedly, impotent in offense, consistently, with Alexander Isak withdrawn after sixty-eight anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they struggled in every area to fall to a second successive three-nil defeat.

Early dominance lacking payoff

For the opening half-hour Liverpool maintained the initiative, the sporadic break from Morgan Gibbs-White excepted, but the failure to capitalize on opportunities into the actual outcome of scores cost them dearly. the midfielder was given an early-on chance from Gakpo's drive into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to execute a brilliant desperate block with his head. Mac Allister had a follow-up attempt deflected shortly after while skilful skill from Salah created another near-post opportunity for Milos Kerkez. The visiting defender just succeeded to put off the defender into sending high.

Dead-ball frailty strikes again

The manager has repeatedly lamented Liverpool's vulnerability to transitions and set pieces this season. There was further evidence for frustration when Nottingham Forest scored first through a blend of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was shocked after the forward did not release the midfielder in space on the break and presented the defender opportunity to clear. The ensuing set-piece sparked ecstatic reactions in the Forest dugout, though, when Elliot Anderson's ball glanced off the captain to Murillo and the defender fired an unbeatable strike from close range into the far corner. It brought reminders of the captain's chalked-off finish against City in the Forest's first goal with the forward located in an illegal position in front of Liverpool's recovered keeper the Brazilian.

The review system decisions and controversy

As expected, the the skipper was swift to mention the similarities to the referee, the ref. But unlike Robertson at the Manchester, Ndoye made no clear gesture in front of Alisson and the strike stood. Officials confirmed: "The on-field decision of a score was examined and verified by the video system – with it judged that the player was not in the line of vision of Alisson and did not make an move that impacted an opponent."

The Reds were saved by the match officials and the system 120 seconds after when the striker thought he had doubled the visitors' cushion.

Ibrahima Konaté, who experienced a poor afternoon, made an feeble effort to clear an Ibrahim Sangaré's delivery and turned the sphere against the Forest striker, who brought down before finding the lower corner of the keeper's net. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, chalked off the effort for a handling that multiple footage found it hard to verify or deny. The authority stated: "The decision of disallowed strike was checked and supported by VAR – with it judged that the player unintentionally handled the sphere before netting."

Follow-up strike increases advantage

That was the end of the let-off. Moments of the kick-off Alexis Mac Allister failed to stop a delivery towards the defender inside the home 18-yard box. The full-back evaded from his marker and presented the visitors' second on a silver platter for teammate full back Savona, who picked out the goalkeeper's top corner with a simple placed shot.

Managerial substitutions prove ineffective

Liverpool's coach went for broke, substituting Konaté with Ekitiké after just before the hour and using the French striker with Alexander Isak. The tactical shift continued just a short period before Isak was replaced following one more ineffective performance. the winger and the youngster were further added to the Anfield's frontline but sloppiness in possession and solid visitors' defense kept the hosts at bay.

Final goal seals the victory

Forest demonstrated the skill and cutting edge that Liverpool were without in the attacking phase to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively