Liverpool slumped to a humbling defeat at home to Nottingham Forest this afternoon
Liverpool’s season lurched towards full-blown crisis after they suffered their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games this afternoon.
Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White handed Nottingham Forest a deserved three points and moved them out of the relegation zone at Leeds’ expense.
But it leaves Arne Slot with some major decisions to make with his extensive summer recruitment programme looking to have disrupted what was a well-oiled machine last season.
Alexander Isak, their most expensive signing, again looked well short of fitness and confidence and has yet to score in five Premier League starts.
Superb Forest stun Anfield
Liverpool’s problems shouldn’t detract from what was a very impressive Forest display, however.
They had to ride spells of pressure from the hosts but always carried a threat on the break.
There seemed little sign of what was to come when Liverpool made a bright start and they could’ve taken the lead after nine minutes when Cody Gakpo bundled his way through on the left side of the penalty area and squared for Alexis Mac Allister only for his shot to be superbly blocked on the line by Elliot Anderson.
Milos Kerkez was next to try his luck with a shot under pressure from Dan Ndoye which flew over the bar.
Gakpo and fill-in right-back Dominik Szoboszlai had efforts, the latter blocked by Murillo, as Liverpool remained on the front foot.
Despite their dominance, Liverpool conceded from their first moment of concern.
Anderson’s corner evaded Virgil van Dijk at the near post and Murillo swept the ball past Alisson.
It was nearly 2-0 three minutes later as Igor Jesus fired expertly into the bottom corner only for the goal to be chalked off for an apparent handball, much to Sean Dyche’s disgust.
Mac Allister, the recent matchwinner against Real Madrid, almost dragged the home side level before the break but his header was well saved by Matz Sels.
Savona goal puts Forest in dreamland
Slot would likely have had some harsh words with his players at half-time but his team talk went out of the window within 60 seconds when former Liverpool full-back Neco Williams crossed for Savona to fire high into the net.
Liverpool’s response was unconvincing, a lot of huffing and puffing with very little end product.
Isak was hauled off after 69 minutes with Federico Chiesa coming on but it did little to alter the complexion of the game. And it was largely unexpected when Forest grabbed a third through Gibbs-White with 12 minutes to go.
Alisson saved well from substitute Omari Hutchinson but England midfielder Gibbs-White followed up to power the ball home.
