Liverpool in turmoil as the visitors storm Anfield again with 3-0 win

The away side's win here the previous campaign seemed an anomaly in an usually strong English top division home record for the Merseyside club. A second successive win in the current campaign, a decisively stronger success under their manager, was a clear sign of the problems afflicting the struggling champions.

The visitors' outstanding display

The team was impressive as they recorded their largest triumph at Liverpool's home. Goals from the defender, outstanding at both ends of the pitch, the full-back and the magnificent Morgan Gibbs-White spurred a deserved success for a squad that also maintained a first clean sheet in twenty division matches.

The home side's difficulties

The hosts, by contrast, were a chaotic as they endured an 8th defeat in 11 fixtures to drop into the bottom half of the table. Ineffective at set pieces, once more, impotent in attack, as before, with the striker withdrawn after 68 uninfluential period, and poor in defense, they struggled in each phase to succumb to a consecutive three-nil loss.

Opening control missing result

For half an hour the home side maintained the initiative, the infrequent attack from the Forest attacker excepted, but the failure to convert chances into the hard currency of scores cost them dearly. Alexis Mac Allister was given an early-on chance from the forward's surge into the penalty area only for Elliot Anderson to deliver a superb desperate block with his skull. He had a another effort blocked moments later while impressive control from Mohamed Salah set up another short-distance opportunity for the defender. An opposition player just did enough to pressure the full-back into firing over.

Dead-ball frailty strikes repeatedly

The manager has repeatedly criticized the team's susceptibility to counterattacks and set-plays now. He was given fresh cause for complaint when the visitors scored first through a blend of the both aspects.

The Forest manager was aghast after Jesus did not release Nicolás Domínguez in room on the fast attack and gave the defender opportunity to intercept. The following set-piece triggered celebratory moments in the Forest dugout, though, when Elliot Anderson's cross deflected off Virgil van Dijk to the goalscorer and the centre-half hammered an unbeatable finish from inside the box into the opposite side. This evoked reminders of the captain's chalked-off finish against Manchester City in the Forest's first goal with Dan Ndoye located in an illegal position in front of the home side's fit-again keeper the Brazilian.

Video Assistant Referee calls and dispute

Unsurprisingly, the Van Dijk was prompt to mention the similarities to the match official, Andrew Madley. However, unlike Andy Robertson at the City's ground, Ndoye made no obvious action in front of Alisson and the goal stood. The league clarified: "The initial ruling of a score was examined and confirmed by the video system – with it judged that he was outside of the line of vision of Alisson and avoided an interference that impacted an opponent."

Liverpool were reprieved by the match officials and video review two minutes later when the striker thought he had doubled the visitors' lead.

Ibrahima Konaté, who experienced a poor match, made an weak effort to remove an Ibrahim Sangaré's delivery and turned the sphere against the attacker, who brought down before placing the bottom corner of Alisson's net. Andrew Madley, in communication with his linesman, disallowed the strike for a handling that several replays were unable to verify or refute. The authority announced: "The ruling of disallowed strike was reviewed and confirmed by VAR – with it judged that the player inadvertently touched the object before netting."

Another strike increases lead

So much for the let-off. Moments of the restart the midfielder did not stop a delivery towards Neco Williams inside the Anfield box. The full-back turned from his opponent and laid their next goal on a platter for fellow wing-back Nicolò Savona, who picked out Alisson's upper corner with a calm placed shot.

Tactical adjustments do not work

The manager took risks, substituting Ibrahima Konaté with Hugo Ekitiké after just before the hour and partnering the France attacker with the Swede. This change lasted just a short period before Isak was replaced following another quiet performance. Chiesa and the youngster were further thrown into the Liverpool attack but carelessness in play and resolute opposition backline kept the hosts at arm's length.

Concluding goal seals the result

Forest demonstrated the finesse and incisiveness that the home team were without in the opposition half to seal the match {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively

Wesley Morse
Wesley Morse

Maya Chen is a tech journalist and AI researcher with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on society.