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Nottingham Forest's win here the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an otherwise dominant top-flight home campaign for the Merseyside club. Their repeat now, a decisively stronger triumph under Sean Dyche, was symptomatic of the challenges engulfing the struggling former winners.

Nottingham Forest's outstanding performance

Forest were exemplary as they secured their biggest victory at Liverpool's home. Goals from the Brazilian, superb at each end of the field, Nicolò Savona and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White inspired a deserved success for a squad that also maintained a maid clean sheet in 20 division matches.

Liverpool's woes

The Reds, on the other hand, were a chaotic as they endured an eighth defeat in 11 fixtures to slide into the second tier of the table. Poor at dead-ball situations, once more, ineffectual in the final third, consistently, with the striker replaced after 68 quiet moments, and vulnerable at the back, they faltered in all departments to yield to a consecutive 3-0 defeat.

Opening control without reward

For the opening half-hour the Reds maintained the advantage, the occasional counter from Morgan Gibbs-White excepted, but the inability to turn promise into the hard currency of scores cost them dearly. the midfielder was offered an early-on chance from the forward's drive into the box only for the Forest player to execute a brilliant goalline clearance with his skull. He had a second shot stopped moments later while skilful footwork from Salah produced another close-range opening for Kerkez. An opposition player just did enough to put off the full-back into firing over.

Dead-ball frailty afflicts again

Arne Slot has frequently bemoaned his side's weakness to transitions and set-plays in the current campaign. There was new reason for concern when Forest scored first through a combination of the each weakness.

Dyche was shocked after the forward did not pass to the midfielder in an open area on the fast attack and presented Ibrahima Konaté a chance to clear. The following corner sparked jubilant reactions in the visitors' bench, though, when the midfielder's cross glanced off Van Dijk to the defender and the centre-half drilled an unbeatable finish from inside the box into the opposite side. There were similarities of Van Dijk's disallowed strike against Manchester City in the Forest's initial score with the forward located in an offside position in front of the home side's fit-again shot-stopper the Brazilian.

The review system calls and dispute

As expected, the the skipper was swift to highlight the parallels to the referee, the ref. However, unlike the full-back at the City's ground, Ndoye made no apparent action in front of the keeper and the score remained. The league stated: "The referee's call of goal was examined and upheld by VAR – with it considered that he was not in the line of vision of Alisson and did not make an interference that influenced an defender."

The home side were saved by the officiating team and video review two minutes later when Jesus thought he had increased Nottingham Forest's advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a dreadful match, made an unconvincing attempt to deal with an Sangaré's cross and directed the ball against the attacker, who brought down before finding the lower corner of the keeper's net. The referee, in contact with his assistant, ruled out the strike for a illegal use of hand that multiple replays found it hard to prove or disprove. The Premier League stated: "The ruling of no goal was checked and upheld by the system – with it judged that Igor Jesus inadvertently controlled the sphere before netting."

Second strike extends advantage

Any hope from the let-off. Moments of the resumption Mac Allister was unable to intercept a pass towards Neco Williams inside the home box. The full-back spun away from his opponent and set up their next goal on a platter for teammate defender Savona, who picked out the keeper's upper corner with a calm side-foot finish.

Strategic changes do not work

Arne Slot went for broke, replacing Konaté with Ekitiké after just before the hour and using the French attacker with Isak. The tactical shift continued for only less than a quarter-hour before Alexander Isak was replaced following another ineffective performance. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were also introduced to the Liverpool attack but carelessness in ball control and resolute Forest defending prevented the home side at distance.

Late blow seals the outcome

Forest displayed the finesse and incisiveness that Liverpool were missing in the final third to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively