Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest produced one of the biggest upsets of the season: the reigning champions suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at Anfield, further increasing the pressure on manager Arne Slot. This was Liverpool’s sixth Premier League defeat in their last seven matches and their second consecutive three-goal loss at home, a feat not seen since the 1960s.
The match was riddled with controversy from the opening goal. Murillo put Forest ahead from a corner, with Dan Ndoye in an offside position just in front of Alisson. Despite the obstruction, VAR ruled that Ndoye was “not in line of sight,” allowing the goal to stand. Moments later, Igor Jesus volleyed home what looked like a second goal, but a debatable handball cut short Forest’s celebrations after a VAR review.
Liverpool’s sense of survival lasted just 39 seconds into the second half. Neco Williams cut through a weak defense before Nicolo Savona fired home Forest’s second goal. The third came courtesy of Morgan Gibbs-White, who finished off a brilliant move after Omari Hutchinson easily outpaced Andy Robertson.
Forest’s dominance stunned Anfield. Despite enjoying 74% possession, Liverpool conceded chance after chance, finishing the match with two midfielders playing in defense due to injury and poor form. Defensive weaknesses, set-piece vulnerabilities, and a lack of firepower all contributed to what many fans are calling Liverpool’s worst spell under Slot.
Individual performances compounded the crisis. Mohamed Salah faded early on, Alexander Isak lost all seven duels he contested before being substituted, and Alexis Mac Allister missed the game’s most important opportunity before Forest took control. The statistics paint a bleak picture: Liverpool have conceded nine goals from set pieces this season, already matching their total from last season.
Virgil van Dijk: “We need to take a good look at ourselves.”
The Liverpool captain described the atmosphere in the dressing room as “very bad” and urged his teammates to take responsibility. His frustration resonated with the fans, who watched their title defense unravel live.
Arne Slot takes the blame
Slot took full responsibility for the team’s collapse, admitting that the results “are far from good enough.” He praised the team’s early chance creation but lamented the alarming tendency to concede easy goals. Regarding the controversial opening goal, Slot said: “Nobody wants to hear me talk about refereeing decisions when we’re losing 3-0, but a goal like that changes everything.”
Sean Dyche praises Forest’s discipline
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche hailed the victory as “a great achievement,” praising his players for executing a completely different tactical plan, relying on long balls, defensive structure, and disciplined transitions rather than patient build-up play.
The win lifts Forest out of the relegation zone and gives Dyche two consecutive victories. Meanwhile, Liverpool drop into the bottom half of the table in what is shaping up to be one of the poorest title defenses in modern Premier League history.
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