Liverpool 0–3 Nottingham Forest: Player Ratings After Van Dijk Crumbles & Isak’s Disasterclass! | OneFootball

Anfield went silent in stages on Saturday – not the usual crescendo of Kop roar, but a creeping, stunned hush as Nottingham Forest methodically dismantled a Liverpool that looked bewildered rather than battle-hardened. This was not a narrow tactical defeat; it was a verdict.

Forest’s three-goal masterclass – Murillo’s opener, Niccolò Savona’s incisive strike and Morgan Gibbs-White’s late coup – felt less like flukes and more like the predictable result of a team already fraying at the seams. Arne Slot’s side, which had flickered hopes of revival, instead produced one of its bleakest afternoons. Here are the player-by-player grades and what they tell us about Liverpool’s growing problem.

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Liverpool – Player Ratings

Alisson Becker – 5.5

Returned from a layoff and had an unusual afternoon: culpable in the penalty incident but redeemed immediately with a superb save from Haaland? Wrong match – here he atoned by making a few stops but had little to offer against the precision of Forest’s finishing. Not his best day, not his worst – a 5.5 that feels charitable.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 4.5

Deployed at right-back in a tactical swivel that simply didn’t work. Drifted inside, failed to track Murillo for the opener and offered little defensive discipline. The position looked like a puzzle he wasn’t given time to solve.

Ibrahima Konaté – 3.5

In and out of the action for the wrong reasons. Caught in the controversial handball episode that VAR ultimately judged not to overturn, then sacrificed as Slot tried to stem the tide. Too many moments of indecision for a centre-half expected to be a rock.

Virgil van Dijk – 4

A rare low from the captain. Beaten in the air from Anderson’s corner for the first goal. Leadership was in question when pressure was applied.

Milos Kerkez – 3

Had a golden chance set up by Salah and fluffed it; after that his crossing was hit-and-hope, and he was hooked. One of those afternoons where confidence and execution both deserted him.

Ryan Gravenberch – 4

Underwhelming in duels and second balls, with an uncharacteristic lack of control in midfield. His typically steady presence was absent, and a worrying number of loose possessions cost the Reds territorial progress.

Alexis Mac Allister – 3.5

Subtlety short-circuited. Lost Neco Williams for Forest’s second and rarely asserted himself physically or creatively. A midfield presence he wasn’t on the day – booked and bullied.

Curtis Jones – 3.5

A quiet, error-strewn performance caught in possession, outmuscled occasionally and rarely the link Liverpool needed between defence and attack. One of the low points of a collective collapse.

Mohamed Salah – 5.5

Sporadic brilliance rather than sustained threat – he produced the pass that created Kerkez’s chance and a teasing corner that eventually led to Van Dijk’s disallowed header. But for the most part he was smothered and starved of service.

Alexander Isak – 1

Fifteen touches, zero impact. The £125m man (per earlier contexts) had one of the quietest afternoons imaginable: anonymous, starved and substituted. Pressure is mounting; he offered almost nothing to justify his selection.

Cody Gakpo – 4.5

The only bright spark at times in the first half, his driving runs threatened but fizzled out after the break. Fell asleep for Savona’s goal and faded as the contest became increasingly physical.

Subs

Hugo Ekitike – 5.5: Introduced and tried; had limited influence.

Federico Chiesa – 5: Came on late and smashed a presentable chance over the bar.

Andy Robertson – 4.5: Couldn’t get a grip on Omari Hutchinson.

Rio Ngumoha – 4: Too little, too late.

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Nottingham Forest – Player Ratings

Matz Sels – 7.5

Solid between the sticks. Not extensively tested but composed when called upon and confident with his distribution.

Nicolò Savona – 8

A menace in the final third. Took his goal well and was composed where Liverpool’s defenders were frantic. Eyes for goal and the technique to finish clinically.

Nikola Milenković – 8

A rock at the back. Read the game well and thwarted multiple Liverpool forays. Calm under pressure and strong in aerial contests.

Murillo – 8.5

The opener was textbook: alert on set-piece chaos and clinically composed in the box. A constant threat in the penalty area and a leader in Forest’s attacking phases.

Neco Williams – 7.5

Combined defensive grit with intelligent forays forward. Ran in behind repeatedly and was central to the pickpocketing that created the team’s openings.

Ibrahim Sangaré – 6

A solid midfield presence. Not flashy, but effective in breaking play and providing the platform for the more creative forest attackers.

Elliot Anderson – 7.5

Caused serious problems and was instrumental in the first-half work that destabilised Liverpool. Clever movement and a consistent nuisance factor.

Dan Ndoye – 6

A sturdy, if unspectacular, midfield shift helped keep Liverpool at arm’s length.

Morgan Gibbs-White – 8.5

Every big win needs a player who pulls the strings and finishes the job. Gibbs-White was intelligent, energetic and lethal when space appeared. His late contribution sealed the psychological blow.

Nicolás Domínguez – 5.5

Less influential than some teammates, but his role was useful in maintaining structure.

Igor Jesus – 7

Worked hard at the top end, with intelligent runs and physical presence. Contributed to the disruption of Liverpool’s backline.

Subs

Callum Hudson-Odoi – 6: Came on and offered a fresh leg.

Omari Hutchinson – 6: Impact substitute.

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Man of the Match

Morgan Gibbs-White

Scoring in three consecutive league games for the first time in his career, Gibbs-White deserves it for his intelligent movement, ruthless finishing and dictating the tempo when it mattered most.

This result is more than three lost points; it exposes cracks. Liverpool’s fragile defensive organisation, midfield timidity and frontline impotence have coalesced into a problem that cannot be papered over with prayers or isolated heroics. Arne Slot now faces mounting questions – not just about tactical tweaks, but about selection, shape and urgency.

For Forest, the victory is a seismic statement: a disciplined, brave away day that could kickstart a crucial run. They leave Anfield buoyant and vindicated.

Liverpool must regroup quickly – a fixture list that offers limited mercy waits. Immediate priorities are clarity in midfield roles, a defensive reset and a plan to get their big-money forwards firing. For fans and neutrals alike, Saturday felt like a turning point; whether it turns into a collapse or a course-corrective catalyst is a story unfolding in real time.

If Anfield’s roar is to return to its old pitchside thunder for Liverpool, the repairs have to start now.