Liverpool Battered at Anfield

Liverpool have lost AGAIN, this time at Anfield to Nottingham Forest in a repeat of last season’s result in this fixture and a result that means Liverpool have now lost 8 of their last 11 matches. In a truly frustrating match for the Reds, goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White sealed a comprehensive 3-0 victory for Sean Dyche’s men.

Florian Wirtz was not in the squad for Liverpool but Alexander Isak was back, fit and ready to start, which he got. He was flanked by Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah in a 433 for Liverpool. Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Alexis MacAllister were the midfield three. Forest meanwhile lined up in a 4231, Igor Jesus continued up top with Chris Wood still unavailable. Nicolas Dominguez and Dan Ndoye were on the left and right, with Gibbs-White in attacking midfield.

From minute 1, the contest at Anfield was fast-paced, with Liverpool immediately applying pressure that pointed toward an eventual breakthrough. An early chance arrived in the 8th minute, when a run and pullback by Cody Gakpo set up Alexis Mac Allister, whose shot was nearly converted but was blocked on the line by Forest defender Elliot Anderson. This early near-miss set the tone for what would become a theme for the home side, decent opportunities created, but ultimately unconverted.

Liverpool continued to be the more proactive side, maintaining possession and probing the Forest defense. However, the visiting side also showed signs of danger, particularly on the counter and from set-up play. The first quarter of the match saw multiple speculative shots from Liverpool players that failed to test the keeper, including a wayward shot from Milos Kerkez in the 16th minute and another shot curled too high by Curtis Jones in the 25th minute. Forest’s defense was resolute, forcing shots from challenging angles or distance.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was called into action in the 26th minute, making a low save to deny a long-range effort from Forest’s Murillo. For much of the first half, it looked for all the world like Liverpool’s persistent pressure would pay off at some point but Forest stayed compact and resolute, a Cody Gakpo shot was blocked and Dominik Szoboszlai’s shot was foiled by another block from Murillo in the 31st minute. These defensive interventions were crucial in keeping the score level and building a platform for the visitors.

Against the run of play, Forest seized the lead in the 33rd minute from a corner. After the initial corner was only partially cleared, Murillo pounced on the loose ball, lashing a shot into the bottom corner to make it 0-1. The goal was marked by some controversy, with questions raised over whether Forest’s Dan Ndoye interfered with Alisson during the play.

Just three minutes later, Forest appeared to double their advantage when Igor Jesus finished past Alisson, but the goal was ruled out by the referee following a VAR review for a handball in the build-up. This decision denied Forest a two-goal cushion and gave Liverpool a reprieve going into the final minutes of the half.

Liverpool tried to find an immediate equalizer before the break. Matz Sels comfortably gathered a looping header from Alexis Mac Allister in the 42nd minute , and moments later, Sels was again effective, saving a low toe-poke from Mohamed Salah in the 45th minute. As the half drew to a close, Liverpool’s frustration began to boil over, with Curtis Jones receiving a yellow card for a bad foul in stoppage time.

The match was fundamentally changed just seconds after the restart. In the 46th minute, Forest stunned the home crowd by doubling their lead. It was a left back-right back combo as Neco Williams delivered a cross into the box, and Nicolo Savona arrived precisely to place his shot into the right of the goal. This quick second goal put Liverpool in a precarious position almost immediately after coming out for the second half.

Liverpool’s manager made an early change to try and shift the momentum, introducing Hugo Ekitike to replace Ibrahima Konate in the 55th minute. Despite the change, the home side struggled to find their rhythm and the target, with Mohamed Salah dragging a low finish wide after receiving a flicked pass from Szoboszlai in the 60th minute.

Arne Slot then tried a double substitution in the 68th minute, bringing on Andy Robertson for Milos Kerkez and Federico Chiesa for Alexander Isak. However, the defensive unit of Forest remained disciplined, continuing to frustrate the Liverpool attackers. Matz Sels remained untroubled for much of the half, easily collecting a low, long-range shot from Dominik Szoboszlai in the 77th minute.

Just a minute later, Forest sealed the victory with their third goal, making the score 3-0. Omari Hutchinson cut in and fired a shot that Alisson saved, but Morgan Gibbs-White was quickest to react, driving home the rebound to guarantee all three points for the visitors.

Liverpool made a final change, with Rio Ngumoha replacing Curtis Jones in the 78th minute. Forest also made late substitutions in the 86th minute, bringing on Ryan Yates for Igor Jesus and Callum Hudson-Odoi for Dan Ndoye to see out the match.

Even in the dying minutes, Forest’s defense held firm, with Murillo blocking a shot from substitute Federico Chiesa who had earlier been yellow carded for dissent. The match concluded in the 95th minute with a final score of Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest.