Liverpool facing disarray as the visitors conquer their fortress for the second time with a convincing triumph
The away side's success at Anfield in the prior year was a blip in an otherwise strong English top division home campaign for Liverpool. A second successive win now, a much more emphatic victory under their manager, was symptomatic of the issues afflicting the faltering title holders.
Forest's exemplary display
The team was brilliant as they recorded their biggest triumph at Anfield. Scores from the Brazilian, superb at both ends of the pitch, Savona and the exceptional Gibbs-White led to a well-earned victory for a Forest side that also kept a maid clean sheet in twenty Premier League games.
Liverpool's woes
The Reds, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they suffered an eighth loss in eleven fixtures to slide into the bottom half of the standings. Poor at dead-ball situations, again, ineffectual in attack, consistently, with Alexander Isak replaced after 68 uninfluential period, and poor in defense, they struggled in each phase to yield to a back-to-back 3-0 reverse.
Opening pressure missing reward
For 30 minutes the home side maintained the upper hand, the sporadic break from Morgan Gibbs-White aside, but the failure to convert chances into the actual outcome of scores proved costly. the midfielder was presented with an early opportunity from Gakpo's run into the area only for the Forest player to deliver a excellent line save with his head. The Liverpool midfielder had a another effort stopped soon after while impressive skill from Salah produced another short-distance opportunity for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just succeeded to pressure the defender into blazing over.
Dead-ball weakness hits once more
Arne Slot has repeatedly bemoaned the team's weakness to transitions and set pieces in the current campaign. There was fresh cause for complaint when Nottingham Forest opened the scoring through a mix of the two.
The Forest manager was aghast after Jesus failed to pass to Nicolás Domínguez in space on the fast attack and allowed the defender opportunity to intervene. The following corner sparked ecstatic reactions in the away team's area, nevertheless, when the midfielder's cross glanced off Van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half drilled an unstoppable shot from six yards into the back of the net. This evoked similarities of the captain's chalked-off goal against the champions in the visitors' initial score with the forward located in an offside in front of the home side's returning keeper the Brazilian.
VAR decisions and controversy
Unsurprisingly, the Van Dijk was swift to highlight the parallels to the official, Andrew Madley. But unlike the full-back at the Manchester, Dan Ndoye made no clear action in front of the goalkeeper and the score remained. The Premier League clarified: "The on-field decision of a score was reviewed and upheld by the video system – with it considered that Ndoye was away from the line of vision of the keeper and made no an move that impacted an player."
Liverpool were reprieved by the referees and the system a short time after when the striker thought he had added to the visitors' lead.
Konaté, who endured a poor afternoon, made an weak effort to clear an Sangaré's delivery and directed the sphere against the forward, who brought down before slotting the lower corner of Alisson's posts. Andrew Madley, in contact with his assistant referee, disallowed the strike for a illegal use of hand that multiple reviews found it hard to prove or refute. The Premier League announced: "The ruling of disallowed strike was checked and upheld by the video assistant – with it judged that Jesus unintentionally controlled the sphere before scoring."
Second goal widens advantage
So much for the let-off. Within seconds of the kick-off Alexis Mac Allister was unable to stop a delivery towards Neco Williams inside the Anfield 18-yard box. The full-back evaded from his opponent and presented Forest's second on a platter for fellow defender Nicolò Savona, who found Alisson's roof of the net with a simple side-foot finish.
Strategic changes prove ineffective
Liverpool's coach made changes, bringing off Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and partnering the French attacker with Alexander Isak. The tactical shift continued for only less than a quarter-hour before Isak was replaced following a further quiet showing. Chiesa and the youngster were also added to the Anfield's frontline but carelessness in ball control and solid visitors' defense kept the home side at bay.
Final goal confirms the outcome
The visitors showed the precision and penetration that the hosts were lacking in the attacking phase to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively