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Forest's victory here in the prior year seemed an anomaly in an typically commanding English top division performances at Anfield for Liverpool. A second successive win in the current campaign, a much more emphatic triumph under their manager, was symptomatic of the issues afflicting the struggling title holders.

Forest's superb display

Nottingham Forest proved impressive as they secured their biggest triumph at Anfield. Scores from the Brazilian, superb at both ends of the field, the full-back and the exceptional Gibbs-White inspired a deserved victory for a team that also kept a initial shutout in twenty Premier League games.

Liverpool's struggles

The hosts, on the other hand, were a disorganized as they endured an eighth defeat in eleven games to fall into the bottom half of the table. Ineffective at set-plays, again, impotent in offense, consistently, with Isak withdrawn after sixty-eight anonymous moments, and poor in defense, they struggled in each phase to fall to a second successive heavy reverse.

Opening dominance lacking reward

For half an hour the home side held the advantage, the occasional break from the Forest attacker apart, but the failure to capitalize on opportunities into the hard currency of finishes hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was presented with an initial opening from the forward's surge into the area only for the Forest player to deliver a brilliant desperate block with his skull. He had a second shot stopped soon after while impressive skill from Mohamed Salah set up another near-post chance for the defender. A Forest defender just managed to disturb the full-back into blazing over.

Set-play vulnerability hits again

Liverpool's coach has frequently bemoaned his side's weakness to counterattacks and set pieces now. He was given further evidence for complaint when Nottingham Forest scored first through a combination of the each weakness.

The Forest manager was surprised after the forward did not release the midfielder in room on the fast attack and allowed Konaté the opening to clear. The following corner kick sparked celebratory scenes in the Forest dugout, though, when Anderson's cross glanced off Virgil van Dijk to the defender and the centre-half fired an unbeatable strike from six yards into the back of the net. It brought reminders of the defender's chalked-off strike against Manchester City in the away team's first goal with the forward located in an offside in front of Liverpool's returning goalkeeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and debate

As expected, the Van Dijk was prompt to highlight the comparisons to the match official, Madley. However, unlike the full-back at the Manchester, the forward made no apparent action in front of Alisson and the goal stood. Officials stated: "The referee's call of a score was examined and upheld by the assistant – with it judged that Ndoye was not in the sightline of the keeper and made no an interference that influenced an player."

The Reds were let off by the referees and VAR 120 seconds after when Jesus was convinced he had added to Forest's advantage.

Konaté, who endured a poor afternoon, made an weak attempt to remove an the midfielder's cross and deflected the object against the attacker, who controlled before placing the lower corner of the keeper's goal. Andrew Madley, in communication with his linesman, chalked off the attempt for a illegal use of hand that multiple footage struggled to prove or refute. League officials announced: "The ruling of no goal was assessed and supported by the system – with it deemed that Jesus accidentally controlled the sphere before scoring."

Follow-up strike extends advantage

Any hope from the reprieve. Almost immediately of the resumption Mac Allister did not intercept a ball towards the defender inside the Anfield 18-yard box. The former Liverpool defender turned from his defender and presented Forest's second on a platter for partner defender Nicolò Savona, who located the goalkeeper's roof of the net with a simple side-foot finish.

Managerial substitutions prove ineffective

Liverpool's coach made changes, bringing off the defender with the forward after the 55th minute and partnering the France forward alongside the Swede. This change lasted all of a short period before Alexander Isak was substituted following one more anonymous performance. Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were additionally thrown into the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in possession and sturdy Forest defending kept the hosts at distance.

Late goal wraps up the outcome

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