Liverpool player ratings vs Nottingham Forest: 15 touches! Awful Alexander Isak goes completely missing as pressure mounts on Arne Slot after Reds rumbled yet again

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Liverpool's nightmare defence of their Premier League title took a turn for the worse on Saturday as Nottingham Forest ripped the Reds apart at Anfield. In a game that saw more than one moment of VAR controversy, Forest struck three times, courtesy of efforts from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White, to leave a shellshocked Arne Slot potentially fearing for his job.

After Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez probably both should've scored, disaster struck for the hosts as Murillo slotted home following Liverpool's failure to clear from a corner. It was a controversial moment in a first-half that was full of them, with VAR ruling that Dan Ndoye wasn't interfering with Alisson depsite being very close to the Brazilian goalkeeper's eyeline. Moments later it could've easily been two - Igor Jesus somewhat harshly being adjudged to have handled the ball after controlling Ibrahima Konate's hopeless attempt to clear, with referee Andy Madley blowing to penalise the Forest forward and chalk off his goal.

If Slot had given his side a rollicking at the half-time break it didn't seem to have an impact as Forest came racing out of the blocks and found a second - Savona getting on the scoresheet this time after some suspect defending allowed Neco Williams to escape in the box and find the Italian completely free to be able to pick his spot. It would get worse before the end, too, with Gibbs-White making it 3-0 after 78 minutes to stun Anfield into silence and leave Slot wondering what on earth he needs do to get the Reds back on track.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield...

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

Goalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (5/10):

His first outing since September and could do nothing to stop any of the goals.

Dominik Szoboszlai (3/10):

Stationed at right-back but drifted inside and further forward to create the extra man. Should've got a lot tighter to Murillo for the first Forest goal.

Ibrahima Konate (3/10):

VAR saved him after he was caught out by Igor Jesus for the controversial handball incident. Sacrificed soon after half-time when Liverpool fell two behind.

Virgil van Dijk (3/10):

On his heels as the ball flew past him from Anderson's corner, leading to Murillo's opening goal. A visiting side shouldn't be scoring three at Anfield on his watch.

Milos Kerkez (3/10):

Should've done far better with a huge first-half chance perfectly set-up for him by Salah. Was a bit hit-and-hope with his crossing as Liverpool looked for a way back and was eventually hooked.

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

Midfield

Ryan Gravenberch (3/10):

Heart-in-mouth moment when the studs in his right boot somewhat inadvertently made contact with Ibrahim Sangare's calf but VAR chose not to get involved. Nowhere near as dominant and majestic in midfield as he usually is.

Alexis Mac Allister (3/10):

Thought he'd scored in the first half only for Elliot Anderson's head to deny him a certain goal. Was weak in the challenge as Williams somehow escaped him to create Forest's second.

Curtis Jones (3/10):

Didn't contribute nearly enough. Caught in possession and at one point in the first half was turned all ends up by Anderson, an emblematic moment showing where both are in the England World Cup squad stakes.

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

Attack

Mohamed Salah (5/10):

Flashes of brilliance at times, including the mazy run that set-up the Kerkez chance but had very few opportunities to cut in and shoot on that lethal left foot as Forest defenders gobbled him up.

Alexander Isak (2/10): 

Hardly had a kick. Still without a Premier League goal for Liverpool and he wasn't even close to breaking his duck here, with Slot deciding enough was enough after 68 minutes.

Cody Gakpo (5/10):

Looked a constant threat in the first-half with his driving runs but faded in the second. Fell asleep as Savona ran off him to score the visitors' second.

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Premier League

Subs & Manager

Hugo Ekitike (5/10):

Brought on for Konate but had little impact.

Federico Chiesa (5/10):

Replaced Isak but couldn't turn the tide, smashing one presentable chance over the bar.

Andy Robertson (4/10):

On for Kerkez with a little over 20 minutes left and couldn't get anywhere near Omari Hutchinson as he cut inside and shot to force the third goal.

Rio Ngumoha (N/A):

On late on and it was game over by that point.

Arne Slot (3/10):

An absolute shocker of a result. He would've expected to beat Forest at home to try to get things moving back in the right direction but this was truly the stuff of nightmares. The heat's now really on and things will need to change, and quickly. Dropping Isak wouldn't be the worst place to start...