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The away side's win on Merseyside in the prior year was a blip in an otherwise strong Premier League home record for the Merseyside club. A second successive win in the current campaign, a decisively stronger triumph under their manager, was symptomatic of the problems afflicting the faltering title holders.

The visitors' exemplary display

The team was impressive as they achieved their largest triumph at Liverpool's home. Strikes from the defender, outstanding at each end of the field, Nicolò Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White inspired a merited win for a squad that also secured a initial shutout in 20 top-flight fixtures.

Anfield's difficulties

The hosts, by contrast, were a disorganized as they experienced an 8th defeat in eleven games to fall into the lower half of the league. Ineffective at set-plays, again, unproductive in offense, as before, with Alexander Isak substituted after 68 quiet moments, and vulnerable at the back, they struggled in every area to yield to a consecutive heavy loss.

Initial dominance without payoff

For 30 minutes Liverpool maintained the initiative, the infrequent counter from Morgan Gibbs-White excepted, but the inability to turn promise into the tangible reward of goals hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was given an early opening from the forward's run into the box only for Elliot Anderson to produce a excellent line save with his head. Mac Allister had a another effort stopped soon after while dazzling skill from Mohamed Salah produced another short-distance opportunity for Kerkez. A Forest defender just succeeded to disturb the full-back into sending high.

Set-piece frailty afflicts once more

The manager has repeatedly criticized the team's weakness to fast breaks and set-plays this season. This provided new reason for concern when Nottingham Forest scored first through a combination of the each weakness.

The Forest manager was surprised after Igor Jesus was unable to find the midfielder in space on the break and presented the defender opportunity to clear. The ensuing corner kick triggered celebratory moments in the visitors' bench, though, when Elliot Anderson's ball glanced off Van Dijk to Murillo and the defender drilled an unstoppable finish from six yards into the opposite side. This evoked echoes of Van Dijk's disallowed finish against Manchester City in the Forest's first goal with the forward standing in an offside position in front of Liverpool's fit-again keeper Alisson.

VAR decisions and debate

Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool captain was quick to highlight the comparisons to the official, Madley. However, unlike Robertson at the Manchester, Ndoye made no clear gesture in front of the goalkeeper and the score stood. Officials confirmed: "The on-field decision of a score was examined and confirmed by the video system – with it considered that he was not in the line of vision of the goalkeeper and did not make an action that affected an defender."

Liverpool were reprieved by the match officials and the system a short time later when Igor Jesus thought he had doubled the visitors' cushion.

Ibrahima Konaté, who experienced a terrible day, made an feeble attempt to clear an Sangaré's delivery and turned the ball against the attacker, who controlled before slotting the net of Alisson's net. Andrew Madley, in communication with his linesman, ruled out the effort for a handling that various footage struggled to prove or disprove. League officials stated: "The referee's call of disallowed strike was assessed and confirmed by the video assistant – with it deemed that the player accidentally handled the sphere before netting."

Second goal increases lead

That was the end of the let-off. Within seconds of the kick-off Mac Allister was unable to intercept a pass towards Williams inside the home 18-yard box. The former Liverpool defender evaded from his defender and presented the visitors' second on a silver platter for partner defender Savona, who found the goalkeeper's top corner with a simple placed shot.

Managerial adjustments fail

Liverpool's coach made changes, bringing off Ibrahima Konaté with Ekitiké after 55 minutes and partnering the France forward alongside the Swede. That experiment continued for only less than a quarter-hour before the striker was withdrawn following a further quiet showing. the winger and Rio Ngumoha were also introduced to the hosts' offense but inefficiency in play and resolute Forest defending prevented the Reds at distance.

Concluding strike seals the victory

The visitors demonstrated the precision and cutting edge that the home team were without in the opposition half to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively