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The away side's win at Anfield the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an typically dominant Premier League performances at Anfield for Liverpool. This recurrence in the current campaign, a far more convincing success under their manager, was symptomatic of the challenges afflicting the declining former winners.

Nottingham Forest's outstanding showing

The team was brilliant as they achieved their largest win at the famous ground. Scores from the Brazilian, superb at each end of the playing surface, the full-back and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White spurred a well-earned win for a squad that also kept a maid clean sheet in 20 division games.

Anfield's woes

The hosts, by contrast, were a chaotic as they suffered an 8th defeat in eleven games to drop into the second tier of the league. Ineffective at dead-ball situations, again, unproductive in offense, consistently, with Alexander Isak substituted after 68 uninfluential moments, and defensively weak, they failed in each phase to yield to a consecutive 3-0 defeat.

Early dominance missing result

For half an hour the Reds maintained the advantage, the infrequent break from Morgan Gibbs-White apart, but the failure to convert chances into the tangible reward of goals cost them dearly. Mac Allister was offered an early-on opening from the forward's run into the box only for Elliot Anderson to produce a superb goalline clearance with his head. The Liverpool midfielder had a second shot blocked moments later while skilful skill from Salah set up another short-distance opportunity for Kerkez. A Forest defender just managed to pressure the full-back into sending high.

Set-play weakness hits again

The manager has repeatedly bemoaned Liverpool's weakness to transitions and set pieces in the current campaign. This provided further evidence for complaint when Forest took the lead through a combination of the two.

Dyche was surprised after the forward was unable to pass to Domínguez in an open area on the break and allowed Konaté opportunity to intervene. The resulting corner sparked ecstatic moments in the visitors' bench, however, when the midfielder's delivery glanced off the captain to the goalscorer and the defender hammered an irresistible finish from six yards into the opposite side. It brought reminders of Van Dijk's disallowed finish against Manchester City in the visitors' opener with the forward located in an illegal position in front of the home side's recovered shot-stopper the goalie.

VAR decisions and dispute

Predictably, the Liverpool captain was swift to mention the comparisons to the official, the ref. In contrast to Andy Robertson at the Etihad Stadium, the forward made no obvious movement in front of the keeper and the strike remained. Officials confirmed: "The initial ruling of valid strike was examined and upheld by the video system – with it considered that he was not in the line of vision of the keeper and avoided an move that affected an opponent."

The home side were reprieved by the officiating team and video review two minutes after when the striker thought he had added to the visitors' advantage.

Konaté, who experienced a dreadful day, made an unconvincing attempt to remove an the midfielder's cross and turned the object against the Forest striker, who brought down before placing the lower corner of Alisson's goal. Andrew Madley, in communication with his linesman, disallowed the effort for a handling that multiple reviews were unable to prove or refute. The authority announced: "The ruling of disallowed strike was checked and supported by the video assistant – with it judged that the player unintentionally handled the sphere before finishing."

Follow-up score increases lead

That was the end of the respite. Almost immediately of the resumption Mac Allister failed to stop a ball towards Williams inside the home penalty area. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his marker and laid the visitors' second on a silver platter for teammate wing-back Savona, who located the keeper's top corner with a simple accurate strike.

Strategic adjustments do not work

Arne Slot took risks, bringing off Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and using the French attacker alongside the Swede. This change continued all of a short period before Isak was substituted following another quiet performance. Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were also introduced to the Liverpool attack but carelessness in ball control and solid opposition backline held the home side at arm's length.

Late blow confirms the result

Nottingham Forest displayed the skill and penetration that the home team were missing in the final third to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively