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Forest's victory on Merseyside in the prior year appeared a one-off in an usually dominant top-flight performances at Anfield for the hosts. This recurrence now, a far more convincing success under their manager, was a clear sign of the problems engulfing the declining former winners.

Forest's superb display

The team was impressive as they achieved their most significant victory at Anfield. Strikes from the Brazilian, superb at either side of the pitch, the full-back and the superb Gibbs-White inspired a deserved success for a Forest side that also maintained a first clean sheet in 20 Premier League fixtures.

Liverpool's woes

The hosts, on the other hand, were a disorganized as they suffered an eighth defeat in eleven fixtures to slide into the lower half of the table. Weak at set-plays, repeatedly, ineffectual in the final third, consistently, with Alexander Isak replaced after 68 quiet period, and vulnerable at the back, they failed in all departments to succumb to a second successive 3-0 reverse.

Initial control lacking result

For 30 minutes the home side maintained the advantage, the infrequent break from Morgan Gibbs-White aside, but the inability to turn promise into the tangible reward of goals hurt them significantly. Mac Allister was offered an early chance from the forward's surge into the penalty area only for Anderson to execute a brilliant desperate block with his forehead. He had a another effort stopped soon after while skilful control from the winger produced another near-post opening for Milos Kerkez. A Forest defender just succeeded to disturb the back into firing over.

Set-piece frailty afflicts once more

Liverpool's coach has often criticized Liverpool's susceptibility to counterattacks and set-plays in the current campaign. There was fresh cause for complaint when the visitors scored first through a mix of the two.

Dyche was surprised after the forward did not release Domínguez in an open area on the counter and gave Konaté the opening to intervene. The resulting corner kick caused jubilant scenes in the away team's area, nevertheless, when Anderson's ball glanced off the captain to Murillo and the defender hammered an irresistible finish from inside the box into the back of the net. It brought echoes of the defender's disallowed finish against the champions in the away team's opener with Ndoye located in an offside position in front of Liverpool's recovered goalkeeper the goalie.

VAR rulings and dispute

Predictably, the Liverpool captain was swift to mention the parallels to the official, Andrew Madley. But unlike the full-back at the Manchester, Dan Ndoye made no apparent movement in front of Alisson and the score remained. Officials stated: "The initial ruling of goal was reviewed and verified by VAR – with it considered that the player was not in the line of vision of the keeper and avoided an action that influenced an opponent."

Liverpool were saved by the referees and video review a short time after when the striker was convinced he had doubled the visitors' lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who experienced a terrible match, made an unconvincing try to clear an Sangaré's ball and turned the object against the forward, who controlled before slotting the net of Alisson's goal. Andrew Madley, in contact with his linesman, disallowed the attempt for a illegal use of hand that multiple replays struggled to confirm or deny. The Premier League stated: "The decision of invalid score was reviewed and upheld by the system – with it judged that the player accidentally handled the object before finishing."

Follow-up goal increases advantage

That was the end of the reprieve. Within seconds of the resumption Mac Allister failed to intercept a delivery towards Williams inside the Anfield box. The former Liverpool defender turned from his marker and set up Forest's second on a plate for teammate wing-back the scorer, who found the keeper's upper corner with a composed placed shot.

Tactical changes fail

The manager made changes, replacing Ibrahima Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after 55 minutes and using the French forward with Alexander Isak. This change continued for only 13 minutes before Alexander Isak was withdrawn following another ineffective performance. the winger and Ngumoha were further added to the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in possession and solid visitors' defense prevented the home side at bay.

Concluding blow wraps up the victory

Nottingham Forest displayed the skill and cutting edge that the hosts were without in the final third to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively