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The away side's victory at Anfield last season appeared a one-off in an typically strong top-flight home record for Liverpool. A second successive win this season, a far more convincing success under their manager, was indicative of the challenges afflicting the declining former winners.

The visitors' outstanding showing

Forest were impressive as they recorded their largest victory at the famous ground. Goals from the defender, outstanding at either side of the field, the full-back and the superb Gibbs-White led to a merited success for a team that also kept a initial shutout in 20 division matches.

Anfield's woes

The hosts, by contrast, were a disorganized as they endured an 8th loss in eleven fixtures to fall into the second tier of the standings. Ineffective at set pieces, repeatedly, unproductive in offense, consistently, with the striker replaced after sixty-eight uninfluential moments, and defensively weak, they faltered in each phase to fall to a back-to-back 3-0 reverse.

Early dominance without reward

For the opening half-hour the Reds held the initiative, the sporadic counter from Gibbs-White excepted, but the shortcoming to turn promise into the tangible reward of finishes proved costly. Alexis 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 second shot deflected moments later while dazzling footwork from the winger produced another short-distance opportunity for Milos Kerkez. An opposition player just succeeded to pressure the defender into blazing over.

Set-piece weakness strikes again

Liverpool's coach has often lamented the team's vulnerability to transitions and set-plays in the current campaign. There was further evidence for complaint when the visitors took the lead through a mix of the both aspects.

Sean Dyche was aghast after the forward did not release Nicolás Domínguez in space on the break and presented Konaté a chance to intercept. The following corner kick triggered jubilant reactions in the visitors' bench, nevertheless, when Elliot Anderson's ball touched the captain to the defender and the centre-half hammered an unstoppable finish from six yards into the back of the net. This evoked echoes of the defender's ruled out goal against the champions in the away team's opener with the forward located in an illegal position in front of the home side's fit-again goalkeeper the goalie.

The review system decisions and controversy

Predictably, the Liverpool captain was prompt to highlight the parallels to the referee, Madley. However, unlike Robertson at the City's ground, the forward made no clear gesture in front of Alisson and the score remained. The Premier League confirmed: "The referee's call of goal was examined and verified by the video system – with it considered that the player was not in the sightline of the goalkeeper and did not make an interference that influenced an opponent."

The Reds were reprieved by the officiating team and video review 120 seconds following when the striker was convinced he had increased Forest's cushion.

Konaté, who endured a poor day, made an weak effort to clear an Sangaré's ball and deflected the ball against the forward, who brought down before placing the lower corner of Alisson's net. The referee, in contact with his assistant referee, disallowed the strike for a handling that several reviews were unable to confirm or disprove. League officials announced: "The referee's call of no goal was assessed and supported by VAR – with it judged that the player unintentionally handled the object before finishing."

Another score increases advantage

Any hope from the respite. Moments of the restart Alexis Mac Allister did not cut out a pass towards the defender inside the Anfield penalty area. The full-back turned from his defender and presented Forest's second on a plate for fellow defender Savona, who located the keeper's upper corner with a calm placed shot.

Managerial changes fail

The manager made changes, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with the forward after just before the hour and using the French forward alongside Isak. That experiment persisted just less than a quarter-hour before the striker was substituted following another anonymous showing. Chiesa and Ngumoha were also thrown into the Anfield's frontline but inefficiency in ball control and resolute Forest defending held the hosts at arm's length.

Late goal wraps up the outcome

Nottingham Forest demonstrated the finesse and incisiveness that Liverpool were without in the opposition half to put the contest {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively