Liverpool’s Premier League woes deepened on Saturday as they suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield, marking their sixth loss in seven league games.
The result not only highlighted the Reds’ ongoing crisis under manager Arne Slot but also propelled Forest out of the relegation zone, providing a much-needed boost for the visitors.
Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White sealed a stunning victory for Forest, who capitalised on Liverpool’s defensive frailties and lack of urgency.
The match began with Liverpool showing early promise, dominating possession and creating several opportunities in the opening exchanges.
In the ninth minute, Cody Gakpo squared the ball to Alexis Mac Allister, whose shot was heroically blocked on the line by Elliot Anderson.
Milos Kerkez then fired over the bar under pressure from Dan Ndoye, while efforts from Gakpo and stand-in right-back Dominik Szoboszlai were also thwarted, with Murillo blocking Szoboszlai’s attempt.
Despite the pressure, Forest held firm and struck first in the 33rd minute. A corner from Anderson evaded Virgil van Dijk at the near post, allowing Murillo to sweep the ball past Alisson from close range, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The goal came against the run of play but was confirmed after a VAR check, which ruled that Ndoye had not interfered with Alisson’s line of vision.
Just three minutes later, Forest nearly doubled their advantage when Igor Jesus fired into the bottom corner, but the effort was disallowed for handball.
Liverpool pushed for an equalizer before halftime, with Mac Allister heading wide from a Kerkez cross, but Matz Sels in the Forest goal made a fine save to preserve the lead.
The half ended 0-1, leaving Anfield in a subdued mood as the hosts failed to convert their 75% possession into meaningful chances.
The second half started disastrously for Liverpool. Within 60 seconds of the restart, Neco Williams raced down the right flank and cut the ball back for Nicolo Savona, who fired a right-footed shot into the top right corner from the center of the box to make it 0-2.
Slot responded with substitutions, including pulling off summer signing Alexander Isak—Liverpool’s most expensive acquisition—after 69 minutes for Federico Chiesa, but the changes failed to spark a comeback.
Isak, who has yet to score in five Premier League starts, looked short on fitness and confidence throughout.
Mohamed Salah showed flashes of sharpness, having a goalbound shot blocked and appealing for a penalty around the hour mark, but the referees waved play on.
Forest continued to threaten on the break, and in the 78th minute, they sealed the rout. Substitute Omari Hutchinson burst into the box and forced a low save from Alisson, but the rebound fell to Gibbs-White, who slotted home a composed finish for 0-3.
In stoppage time, Chiesa had a goalbound attempt blocked, but Liverpool looked clueless in attack, managing only four shots on target despite their dominance in possession.
The final whistle brought boos from the home fans, as Forest celebrated a thoroughly deserved win that showcased their defensive resilience and clinical counter-attacking.
Key PerformancesMurillo (Nottingham Forest): The Brazilian defender was immense, scoring the opener and making crucial blocks to deny Liverpool.
Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest): Capped a strong display with the third goal, continuing his fine form with goals in three consecutive games.
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool): One of the few bright spots for the Reds, creating chances but unable to find the net.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool): Uncharacteristically poor, failing to deal with the corner that led to the first goal.
This defeat leaves Liverpool languishing in eleventh place in the Premier League standings, raising serious questions about Slot’s summer recruitment strategy, which has disrupted the team’s rhythm from last season.
For Forest, the win moves them to 16th with out of the bottom three, while Slot now faces mounting pressure ahead of a tough fixture list.break.
