November 22, (THEWILL) — Liverpool’s alarming slump continued at Anfield on Saturday as Nottingham Forest inflicted a comprehensive 3-0 defeat on the hosts, marking the Reds’ eighth loss in 11 matches. The result leaves Arne Slot under intense scrutiny and effectively ends any lingering hopes of retaining the English Premier League title, with Arsenal now eight points clear and holding a game in hand.
Forest took the lead through Murillo’s first-half strike from a corner, though Liverpool felt aggrieved by the presence of an offside player near goalkeeper Alisson. The visitors were then denied a second goal when Igor Jesus had his effort disallowed for a contentious handball decision, but their frustration proved short-lived. Just moments after the restart, full-back Nicolò Savona doubled the advantage, exploiting weak defending to convert a cross from former Liverpool player Neco Williams.
Morgan Gibbs-White sealed the points later in the second half, tapping in after Alisson parried Omari Hutchinson’s strike. Despite dominating possession with 74 per cent of the ball and registering 21 shots, Liverpool lacked conviction in the final third and were repeatedly exposed at the back. Forest manager Sean Dyche’s tactics frustrated the home side throughout, with his team defending resolutely after establishing their two-goal cushion.
The defeat is another worrying chapter in Liverpool’s dramatic collapse. Alexander Isak, the record EPL signing, endured another anonymous outing with just 14 touches before being substituted after 68 minutes. Captain Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Alexis Mac Allister both delivered unconvincing displays, failing to provide the leadership required during the crisis.
Slot had made five changes to the side beaten by Manchester City before the international break, but the alterations failed to arrest the decline. Liverpool started brightly, with Milos Kerkez and Curtis Jones spurning early chances, yet their inability to convert territorial dominance into goals proved costly. Dominik Szoboszlai, deployed at right-back, earned the highest rating among Liverpool players, though that offered scant consolation on an afternoon that saw the champions’ season unravel further.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
