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Forest's victory at Anfield the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an otherwise strong Premier League home campaign for the hosts. Their repeat in the current campaign, a decisively stronger triumph under the Forest boss, was a clear sign of the issues plaguing the faltering champions.

Forest's outstanding performance

Forest were impressive as they secured their most significant victory at Anfield. Strikes from Murillo, outstanding at each end of the field, the full-back and the superb the playmaker spurred a deserved win for a team that also maintained a initial shutout in 20 division games.

Liverpool's woes

The Reds, on the other hand, were a mess as they suffered an 8th defeat in eleven fixtures to slide into the second tier of the standings. Ineffective at dead-ball situations, again, ineffectual in attack, again, with Isak replaced after sixty-eight quiet minutes, and poor in defense, they faltered in every area to yield to a second successive heavy reverse.

Initial control lacking result

For 30 minutes the home side maintained the upper hand, the occasional break from the Forest attacker excepted, but the failure to convert chances into the hard currency of goals cost them dearly. Mac Allister was offered an early-on chance from the forward's surge into the box only for the Forest player to execute a excellent desperate block with his forehead. He had a second shot stopped moments later while skilful control from Mohamed Salah created another near-post opening for Milos Kerkez. An opposition player just did enough to pressure the defender into firing over.

Set-play vulnerability afflicts once more

The manager has often criticized Liverpool's weakness to fast breaks and set-plays this season. This provided fresh cause for complaint when Nottingham Forest opened the scoring through a blend of the each weakness.

Dyche was aghast after Igor Jesus did not find Nicolás Domínguez in room on the fast attack and gave Konaté opportunity to intercept. The ensuing corner triggered jubilant scenes in the visitors' bench, nevertheless, when Anderson's ball glanced off Van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half fired an unstoppable strike from six yards into the back of the net. This evoked reminders of Van Dijk's disallowed goal against City in the visitors' first goal with the forward positioned in an offside in front of Anfield's returning shot-stopper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee decisions and dispute

Predictably, the the skipper was prompt to point out the similarities to the referee, Madley. However, unlike Robertson at the Manchester, Dan Ndoye made no apparent action in front of the keeper and the strike was given. Officials confirmed: "The referee's call of valid strike was reviewed and confirmed by VAR – with it considered that the player was outside of the line of vision of Alisson and made no an interference that influenced an opponent."

Liverpool were saved by the match officials and VAR a short time later when Igor Jesus was convinced he had added to Forest's lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a terrible afternoon, made an weak effort to remove an Sangaré's delivery and directed the sphere against the Forest striker, who controlled before finding the net of the keeper's posts. Andrew Madley, in contact with his assistant, chalked off the effort for a handling that multiple replays were unable to prove or deny. League officials said: "The ruling of no goal was assessed and upheld by VAR – with it considered that Jesus inadvertently handled the object before scoring."

Another score extends advantage

So much for the let-off. Almost immediately of the resumption the midfielder failed to cut out a delivery towards the defender inside the Anfield 18-yard box. Williams turned from his marker and laid the visitors' second on a plate for partner wing-back Nicolò Savona, who located Alisson's upper corner with a composed side-foot finish.

Strategic substitutions fail

Liverpool's coach took risks, substituting the defender with the forward after just before the hour and using the Les Bleus forward next to Alexander Isak. This change persisted for only less than a quarter-hour before the striker was replaced following a further quiet performance. the winger and the youngster were also thrown into the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in possession and resolute visitors' defense held the Reds at arm's length.

Late strike confirms the victory

Forest showed the skill and incisiveness that the home team were without in the attacking phase to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively