Nottingham Forest produced one of the shocking results of the Premier League campaign as they beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield to boost their survival hopes.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus thought he’d doubled the visitors’ advantage when he worked a yard in the box and volleyed into the corner, but his joy was short-lived as he was adjudged to have handled before finishing.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 47 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Arne Slot turned to his bench to introduce Hugo Ekitike in a desperate attempt to change the flow of the game, but despite taking a defender off in favour of getting an attacker on, the Reds simply couldn’t get going against Forest as Omari Hutchinson’s stinging drive was parried to the feet of Morgan Gibbs-White, and his low left-footed effort trickled into the corner as Anfield started to empty.
The result means Liverpool have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
