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Nottingham Forest's success on Merseyside the previous campaign appeared a one-off in an usually strong Premier League home record for Liverpool. A second successive win this season, a far more convincing victory under the Forest boss, was a clear sign of the challenges engulfing the faltering title holders.

The visitors' outstanding showing

The team was exemplary as they achieved their most significant win at Anfield. Goals from the defender, outstanding at either side of the pitch, the full-back and the exceptional Morgan Gibbs-White spurred a deserved win for a Forest side that also secured a maid clean sheet in twenty top-flight fixtures.

Liverpool's struggles

Liverpool, by contrast, were a mess as they experienced an 8th loss in 11 matches to fall into the second tier of the league. Ineffective at set pieces, again, impotent in the final third, again, with the striker withdrawn after 68 anonymous minutes, and poor in defense, they struggled in every area to yield to a second successive 3-0 loss.

Early dominance lacking payoff

For half an hour Liverpool enjoyed the upper hand, the sporadic break from Morgan Gibbs-White apart, but the shortcoming to convert chances into the actual outcome of goals hurt them significantly. Mac Allister was presented with an early opening from the forward's run into the area only for Elliot Anderson to execute a superb line save with his head. He had a follow-up attempt deflected soon after while skilful skill from the winger set up another near-post opening for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just managed to disturb the full-back into sending high.

Set-play weakness strikes again

Arne Slot has repeatedly bemoaned Liverpool's vulnerability to transitions and set pieces this season. This provided new reason for frustration when Forest scored first through a blend of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was surprised after the forward failed to release the midfielder in space on the fast attack and presented Ibrahima Konaté a chance to intercept. The resulting set-piece triggered jubilant scenes in the Forest dugout, however, when Anderson's delivery deflected off Van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half hammered an unbeatable strike from inside the box into the far corner. There were reminders of the captain's ruled out finish against the champions in the Forest's opener with Dan Ndoye located in an offside in front of Anfield's recovered shot-stopper the Brazilian.

The review system calls and dispute

As expected, the Van Dijk was swift to highlight the similarities to the referee, Andrew Madley. But unlike the full-back at the Etihad Stadium, Dan Ndoye made no clear action in front of the keeper and the strike remained. The league confirmed: "The on-field decision of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that Ndoye was not in the view of the keeper and avoided an move that influenced an opponent."

The home side were reprieved by the officiating team and video review 120 seconds following when Igor Jesus thought he had increased the visitors' lead.

The defender, who endured a dreadful afternoon, made an unconvincing try to deal with an the midfielder's ball and turned the object against the attacker, who controlled before finding the bottom corner of the keeper's net. Andrew Madley, in communication with his assistant, disallowed the strike for a illegal use of hand that several replays found it hard to verify or refute. The Premier League announced: "The decision of no goal was checked and confirmed by the video assistant – with it judged that the player unintentionally touched the ball before netting."

Another score extends lead

So much for the respite. Within seconds of the resumption the midfielder failed to stop a ball towards Neco Williams inside the Anfield 18-yard box. The full-back turned from his opponent and set up the visitors' second on a silver platter for teammate full back Nicolò Savona, who found Alisson's top corner with a simple side-foot finish.

Managerial substitutions prove ineffective

Liverpool's coach went for broke, replacing Konaté with the forward after just before the hour and pairing the France forward with Alexander Isak. That experiment continued just less than a quarter-hour before the striker was substituted following another quiet display. Federico Chiesa and the youngster were also added to the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in play and solid visitors' defense kept the hosts at arm's length.

Late strike wraps up the outcome

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the skill and incisiveness that the home team were missing in the final third to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively