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Nottingham Forest's success on Merseyside in the prior year appeared a one-off in an otherwise commanding Premier League home campaign for Liverpool. A second successive win in the current campaign, a far more convincing success under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the issues engulfing the struggling champions.

Forest's superb display

Forest were brilliant as they secured their most significant triumph at Liverpool's home. Strikes from the Brazilian, excellent at each end of the playing surface, Nicolò Savona and the magnificent the playmaker led to a deserved success for a squad that also kept a maid clean sheet in twenty top-flight matches.

Liverpool's woes

The Reds, on the other hand, were a disorganized as they experienced an eighth setback in eleven games to fall into the bottom half of the table. Poor at set pieces, repeatedly, unproductive in the final third, as before, with the striker withdrawn after sixty-eight anonymous period, and defensively weak, they faltered in every area to succumb to a back-to-back heavy reverse.

Opening control lacking result

For half an hour the home side enjoyed the initiative, the infrequent attack from Morgan Gibbs-White apart, but the shortcoming to convert chances into the actual outcome of goals proved costly. Mac Allister was offered an early-on chance from the forward's run into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to deliver a superb line save with his head. The Liverpool midfielder had a second shot blocked shortly after while skilful skill from the winger produced another near-post opportunity for Kerkez. A Forest defender just succeeded to put off the back into blazing over.

Set-piece frailty afflicts once more

Arne Slot has frequently criticized Liverpool's vulnerability to transitions and dead balls in the current campaign. He was given new reason for concern when Forest opened the scoring through a blend of the each weakness.

Dyche was surprised after the forward was unable to pass to Nicolás Domínguez in room on the fast attack and gave the defender opportunity to intercept. The resulting set-piece sparked ecstatic reactions in the away team's area, nevertheless, when the midfielder's delivery deflected off the captain to Murillo and the centre-half drilled an irresistible finish from close range into the far corner. There were reminders of Van Dijk's chalked-off goal against Manchester City in the away team's opener with Ndoye standing in an offside in front of Liverpool's returning goalkeeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee calls and debate

Predictably, the Van Dijk was swift to point out the comparisons to the official, the ref. However, unlike Robertson at the City's ground, Dan Ndoye made no obvious movement in front of Alisson and the goal was given. The league clarified: "The on-field decision of a score was examined and verified by VAR – with it deemed that the player was away from the sightline of the keeper and did not make an action that influenced an player."

The home side were saved by the referees and video review a short time following when the striker thought he had increased Forest's cushion.

The defender, who endured a dreadful afternoon, made an feeble effort to deal with an the midfielder's cross and deflected the ball against the Forest striker, who brought down before slotting the net of Alisson's goal. The referee, in communication with his linesman, disallowed the effort for a handling that multiple replays were unable to confirm or deny. League officials announced: "The decision of disallowed strike was assessed and confirmed by the system – with it deemed that the player inadvertently touched the ball before scoring."

Follow-up goal extends lead

Any hope from the let-off. Almost immediately of the restart Alexis Mac Allister failed to intercept a delivery towards Williams inside the Liverpool box. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his opponent and presented Forest's second on a platter for partner wing-back Nicolò Savona, who found Alisson's upper corner with a simple side-foot finish.

Tactical adjustments do not work

Arne Slot took risks, bringing off Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after the 55th minute and partnering the Les Bleus forward alongside the Swede. The tactical shift lasted all of a short period before Isak was replaced following another quiet showing. Chiesa and Ngumoha were further introduced to the Liverpool attack but carelessness in ball control and resolute opposition backline kept the home side at distance.

Final strike wraps up the result

Nottingham Forest showed the skill and incisiveness that the home team were without in the opposition half to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively