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Nottingham Forest's win here last season was a blip in an typically strong English top division home campaign for the Merseyside club. A second successive win now, a much more emphatic triumph under their manager, was symptomatic of the issues plaguing the declining title holders.

Nottingham Forest's outstanding performance

Forest were brilliant as they achieved their most significant win at Anfield. Strikes from Murillo, excellent at either side of the field, the full-back and the magnificent Morgan Gibbs-White led to a deserved win for a squad that also kept a maid clean sheet in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Liverpool's difficulties

Liverpool, in comparison, were a mess as they experienced an 8th defeat in eleven matches to fall into the bottom half of the standings. Poor at set pieces, repeatedly, ineffectual in offense, again, with the striker withdrawn after sixty-eight anonymous moments, and poor in defense, they faltered in all departments to succumb to a consecutive 3-0 defeat.

Early control lacking reward

For the opening half-hour the home side held the advantage, the infrequent break from the Forest attacker aside, but the failure to capitalize on opportunities into the actual outcome of finishes cost them dearly. Alexis Mac Allister was given an initial opening from Cody Gakpo's drive into the area only for Elliot Anderson to execute a brilliant line save with his skull. Mac Allister had a another effort stopped moments later while dazzling skill from Salah set up another near-post opportunity for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just did enough to disturb the defender into firing over.

Dead-ball vulnerability afflicts repeatedly

The manager has often criticized the team's weakness to transitions and set pieces now. This provided further evidence for complaint when the visitors scored first through a blend of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was aghast after the forward did not pass to Nicolás Domínguez in space on the counter and presented Ibrahima Konaté the opening to intercept. The resulting set-piece caused jubilant scenes in the Forest dugout, nevertheless, when Anderson's cross glanced off Van Dijk to the defender and the central defender fired an unbeatable strike from six yards into the far corner. There were echoes of the defender's disallowed goal against the champions in the visitors' initial score with Ndoye located in an offside position in front of Anfield's fit-again goalkeeper the Brazilian.

VAR calls and debate

Predictably, the Van Dijk was quick to point out the comparisons to the official, the ref. In contrast to Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, the forward made no apparent movement in front of the goalkeeper and the strike was given. Officials confirmed: "The on-field decision of valid strike was reviewed and verified by the assistant – with it judged that Ndoye was outside of the line of vision of Alisson and did not make an interference that influenced an player."

The Reds were let off by the officiating team and VAR a short time later when the striker was convinced he had increased the visitors' advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a poor day, made an unconvincing effort to deal with an the midfielder's ball and deflected the sphere against the attacker, who handled before slotting the net of the keeper's goal. Madley, in communication with his assistant, disallowed the strike for a handball that various footage struggled to prove or deny. The Premier League stated: "The ruling of disallowed strike was assessed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it considered that Jesus accidentally controlled the sphere before netting."

Second goal widens lead

That was the end of the let-off. Within seconds of the restart the midfielder was unable to stop a ball towards Neco Williams inside the home box. The former Liverpool defender spun away from his marker and laid Forest's second on a platter for partner defender Savona, who picked out the keeper's upper corner with a calm placed shot.

Managerial substitutions fail

The manager went for broke, replacing the defender with Ekitiké after the 55th minute and partnering the Les Bleus striker alongside the Swede. The tactical shift persisted all of less than a quarter-hour before Alexander Isak was withdrawn following a further quiet showing. Federico Chiesa and Ngumoha were further thrown into the hosts' offense but sloppiness in ball control and solid opposition backline held the home side at distance.

Late strike seals the outcome

The visitors displayed the skill and penetration that Liverpool were lacking in the opposition half to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively