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Nottingham Forest's win at Anfield the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an typically dominant Premier League performances at Anfield for the Merseyside club. Their repeat this season, a much more emphatic triumph under the Forest boss, was indicative of the problems engulfing the struggling champions.

Forest's superb display

Forest were impressive as they recorded their largest win at Liverpool's home. Goals from the defender, outstanding at each end of the pitch, Nicolò Savona and the superb Morgan Gibbs-White inspired a deserved victory for a team that also kept a first clean sheet in 20 division games.

Liverpool's struggles

Liverpool, by contrast, were a chaotic as they endured an 8th setback in 11 fixtures to slide into the bottom half of the table. Ineffective at set-plays, repeatedly, impotent in the final third, consistently, with Alexander Isak substituted after 68 anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they failed in each phase to succumb to a second successive heavy defeat.

Initial dominance missing payoff

For half an hour the Reds enjoyed the advantage, the occasional attack from Gibbs-White aside, but the shortcoming to convert chances into the hard currency of scores hurt them significantly. Mac Allister was presented with an early opportunity from Gakpo's drive into the area only for the Forest player to produce a superb goalline clearance with his head. Mac Allister had a follow-up attempt stopped moments later while dazzling skill from Mohamed Salah produced another short-distance opportunity for Kerkez. The visiting defender just did enough to disturb the full-back into sending high.

Set-piece frailty afflicts again

The manager has often bemoaned the team's weakness to counterattacks and dead balls in the current campaign. There was new reason for complaint when the visitors took the lead through a mix of the each weakness.

Dyche was shocked after Jesus did not find Domínguez in room on the counter and presented the defender a chance to intervene. The ensuing corner kick triggered ecstatic scenes in the Forest dugout, though, when the midfielder's delivery deflected off Virgil van Dijk to the defender and the defender drilled an unbeatable shot from six yards into the back of the net. It brought echoes of the captain's chalked-off goal against City in the away team's initial score with the forward standing in an illegal position in front of Anfield's recovered keeper Alisson.

VAR rulings and dispute

Unsurprisingly, the Van Dijk was swift to highlight the comparisons to the official, Andrew Madley. In contrast to Andy Robertson at the City's ground, Ndoye made no clear movement in front of Alisson and the goal was given. The league stated: "The on-field decision of valid strike was checked and verified by the assistant – with it deemed that Ndoye was not in the line of vision of the keeper and made no an move that influenced an defender."

The Reds were let off by the referees and the system a short time later when Jesus believed he had increased the visitors' advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a dreadful afternoon, made an feeble attempt to clear an Ibrahim Sangaré's cross and directed the object against the attacker, who handled before placing the net of Alisson's posts. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, disallowed the attempt for a handling that several footage found it hard to confirm or disprove. The authority stated: "The decision of no goal was assessed and upheld by VAR – with it deemed that Jesus unintentionally handled the ball before scoring."

Second strike extends lead

That was the end of the reprieve. Within seconds of the resumption Mac Allister did not cut out a delivery towards Neco Williams inside the Anfield 18-yard box. The full-back evaded from his opponent and set up the visitors' second on a platter for partner defender Savona, who found Alisson's top corner with a composed accurate strike.

Managerial changes prove ineffective

The manager took risks, bringing off Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after the 55th minute and using the France forward alongside Alexander Isak. That experiment lasted for only 13 minutes before Alexander Isak was withdrawn following a further anonymous performance. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were also added to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in ball control and sturdy opposition backline held the hosts at distance.

Final goal wraps up the result

Nottingham Forest showed the skill and incisiveness that the home team were without in the final third to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively