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The away side's success at Anfield the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an otherwise strong top-flight home campaign for the Merseyside club. Their repeat in the current campaign, a far more convincing victory under the Forest boss, was symptomatic of the issues afflicting the declining champions.

Nottingham Forest's outstanding showing

Nottingham Forest proved brilliant as they secured their biggest win at Liverpool's home. Scores from the Brazilian, superb at both ends of the playing surface, Savona and the magnificent the playmaker inspired a deserved win for a squad that also maintained a first clean sheet in 20 Premier League games.

Anfield's woes

Liverpool, on the other hand, were a disorganized as they endured an eighth defeat in 11 matches to drop into the bottom half of the standings. Poor at set pieces, repeatedly, ineffectual in the final third, again, with Alexander Isak replaced after sixty-eight quiet moments, and poor in defense, they failed in each phase to yield to a back-to-back three-nil defeat.

Initial pressure missing reward

For 30 minutes the home side enjoyed the upper hand, the infrequent attack from Gibbs-White apart, but the shortcoming to turn promise into the tangible reward of scores cost them dearly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an early-on opening from Gakpo's run into the box only for the Forest player to deliver a brilliant line save with his head. He had a another effort deflected shortly after while impressive control from Salah set up another near-post opening for Kerkez. A Forest defender just managed to put off the full-back into sending high.

Set-play vulnerability strikes once more

Liverpool's coach has frequently criticized Liverpool's weakness to counterattacks and set-plays now. He was given further evidence for frustration when Nottingham Forest took the lead through a combination of the two.

Dyche was shocked after Jesus did not find the midfielder in space on the fast attack and allowed the defender the opening to intervene. The following set-piece triggered ecstatic reactions in the Forest dugout, though, when the midfielder's ball deflected off Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the central defender hammered an unstoppable finish from six yards into the back of the net. There were echoes of Van Dijk's chalked-off strike against Manchester City in the Forest's opener with the forward located in an offside in front of Anfield's recovered shot-stopper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and debate

As expected, the Liverpool captain was swift to highlight the similarities to the match official, Andrew Madley. However, unlike the full-back at the Etihad Stadium, Ndoye made no clear movement in front of Alisson and the score was given. The league clarified: "The referee's call of goal was examined and upheld by VAR – with it deemed that he was away from the line of vision of the goalkeeper and avoided an action that influenced an opponent."

The Reds were let off by the match officials and VAR a short time after when Igor Jesus thought he had doubled Forest's advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who suffered a terrible afternoon, made an unconvincing try to clear an the midfielder's ball and directed the ball against the attacker, who handled before placing the net of the keeper's net. The referee, in communication with his assistant referee, ruled out the effort for a illegal use of hand that various replays were unable to prove or disprove. The Premier League said: "The referee's call of no goal was reviewed and supported by VAR – with it deemed that Jesus accidentally controlled the sphere before scoring."

Second goal extends cushion

That was the end of the respite. Almost immediately of the kick-off the midfielder was unable to cut out a ball towards the defender inside the Anfield box. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his marker and set up their next goal on a platter for teammate wing-back Savona, who located the goalkeeper's roof of the net with a composed placed shot.

Tactical changes prove ineffective

Liverpool's coach took risks, substituting the defender with Hugo Ekitiké after the 55th minute and partnering the French forward next to the Swede. The tactical shift lasted just a short period before the striker was substituted following one more anonymous display. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were also added to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in ball control and sturdy opposition backline prevented the hosts at arm's length.

Late strike seals the result

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