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The away side's victory at Anfield the previous campaign was a blip in an usually dominant top-flight home campaign for the Merseyside club. A second successive win this season, a far more convincing triumph under their manager, was symptomatic of the challenges plaguing the declining title holders.

Forest's outstanding display

The team was impressive as they achieved their most significant triumph at the famous ground. Goals from Murillo, excellent at each end of the field, Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White spurred a deserved win for a team that also secured a maid clean sheet in 20 top-flight fixtures.

The home side's woes

Liverpool, by contrast, were a mess as they endured an eighth loss in 11 matches to fall into the bottom half of the standings. Ineffective at set pieces, again, impotent in offense, again, with the striker replaced after 68 quiet period, and defensively weak, they faltered in every area to fall to a second successive 3-0 defeat.

Initial control lacking payoff

For 30 minutes Liverpool enjoyed the initiative, the sporadic attack from the Forest attacker aside, but the failure to turn promise into the actual outcome of scores proved costly. Mac Allister was given an early opening from Gakpo's run into the area only for Elliot Anderson to execute a excellent desperate block with his head. Mac Allister had a second shot stopped shortly after while impressive control from Salah set up another near-post opening for the defender. The visiting defender just managed to pressure the full-back into blazing over.

Set-piece weakness afflicts repeatedly

Arne Slot has repeatedly bemoaned his side's susceptibility to fast breaks and set-plays in the current campaign. There was new reason for concern when the visitors scored first through a combination of the two.

Dyche was surprised after Igor Jesus was unable to pass to Domínguez in an open area on the fast attack and allowed Konaté opportunity to clear. The following set-piece caused jubilant moments in the Forest dugout, however, when the midfielder's ball deflected off the captain to the goalscorer and the central defender drilled an unbeatable strike from close range into the opposite side. This evoked reminders of the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City in the away team's opener with Ndoye positioned in an offside position in front of the home side's fit-again shot-stopper the Brazilian.

VAR rulings and debate

Predictably, the the skipper was prompt to mention the comparisons to the match official, Madley. In contrast to Robertson at the Manchester, Dan Ndoye made no obvious action in front of the keeper and the strike remained. Officials clarified: "The on-field decision of goal was checked and verified by VAR – with it considered that Ndoye was outside of the view of Alisson and made no an move that affected an player."

The home side were saved by the match officials and the system 120 seconds after when the striker believed he had doubled Forest's advantage.

Ibrahima Konaté, who endured a poor match, made an feeble effort to deal with an the midfielder's delivery and deflected the sphere against the forward, who brought down before placing the net of the goalkeeper's net. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, ruled out the strike for a handling that multiple reviews were unable to verify or refute. League officials stated: "The ruling of disallowed strike was reviewed and upheld by VAR – with it considered that the player inadvertently touched the object before scoring."

Follow-up goal widens cushion

Any hope from the reprieve. Within seconds of the resumption Mac Allister failed to cut out a delivery towards the defender inside the Anfield penalty area. The former Liverpool defender spun away from his defender and set up their next goal on a plate for partner defender Nicolò Savona, who found Alisson's roof of the net with a calm side-foot finish.

Strategic changes fail

The manager went for broke, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after the 55th minute and partnering the Les Bleus attacker alongside the Swede. That experiment lasted all of 13 minutes before the striker was replaced following one more anonymous showing. Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha were further added to the hosts' offense but sloppiness in possession and resolute visitors' defense kept the home side at bay.

Final blow wraps up the result

Forest demonstrated the skill and penetration that the hosts were without in the opposition half to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively