Nottingham Forest Overpowers Liverpool to Compound Defending Champions' Struggles
On Saturday, Nottingham Forest claimed a convincing 3-0 victory on the road against Liverpool, striking yet another blow to the title holders' chances of holding onto their Premier League crown.
This Anfield reverse represented Liverpool's sixth defeat across their most recent seven league outings, depositing them in 11th position on the leaderboard, trailing frontrunners Arsenal by eight points.
Brazilian defender Murillo put the beleaguered Forest ahead in the 33rd minute from a corner kick. Nicolo Savona then extended the away side's lead shortly after the interval.
Morgan Gibbs-White put the seal on Forest's triumph at Anfield for the second year running, 12 minutes before the end, by capitalising on Alisson's stop from Omari Hutchinson.
It marked Forest's most substantial success at Anfield, and their third in six fixtures since Sean Dyche took over as manager, while for Liverpool it was their worst home reversal since a 4-1 drubbing by Manchester City in 2021.
"Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad," Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Premier League Productions. "That's the least I can say about it.
"Those goals we conceded are far too easy and we all have to look in the mirror. I've been at this club so long now and we've been through adversity. We will bounce back but it doesn't happen overnight. I'm not a quitter and we will keep going."
Morale Enhancer
The result propelled Forest clear of the drop zone.
"We fully merited the victory and the changing room is buzzing," Forest captain Ryan Yates shared with Sky Sports.
Commenting on Dyche's impact, he noted: "He's been immense, along with his coaching team. They arrived, fully integrated with the club's ethos. Instilled a strong sense of unity among the squad and supporters, which is vital for Forest.
Yates continued: "Escaping the relegation spots provides a significant mental lift, yet maintaining that position is tougher, and that is the standard this club expects."
Liverpool's recent setback reinforces the opinions of detractors who claim the team's £450 million ($589 million) summer spending frenzy has disrupted the group dynamic.
Reds boss Arne Slot reinstated British record acquisition Alexander Isak directly into the lineup following a month's absence to accelerate his match sharpness, though the strategy failed as the Swedish forward appeared far from peak form.
Liverpool arguably dominated the first 30 minutes yet trailed once Murillo netted from a corner that glanced off Van Dijk.
Forest keeper Matz Sels denied efforts from both Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah to safeguard the away team's advantage.
However, just a minute into the second period, a Liverpool backline featuring midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back owing to absences of Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, let in another goal.
Ex Liverpool defender Neco Williams exploited room on the flank, and his pull back enabled Savona to guide the ball home.
Salah sought to haul Liverpool level, stabbing wide before being upended by Nikola Milenkovic inside the box.
Yet Alisson's deflection of Omari Hutchinson's effort in the 78th minute straight to Gibbs-White not only forged a piece of Forest legacy but also allowed the playmaker to hit the net in three straight matches for the first time professionally.