Liverpool (AFP) - Nottingham Forest won 3-0 away to Liverpool on Saturday to inflict a fresh blow on the champions’ hopes of defending their Premier League title.

The defeat at Anfield was Liverpool’s sixth loss in their last seven league matches and left them languishing in 11th place in the table, eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Brazilian defender Murillo gave strugglers Forest a 33rd-minute lead following a corner. Nicolo Savona doubled the visitors’ advantage early in the second half.

Morgan Gibbs-White sealed a Forest win at Anfield for the second successive season 12 minutes from time after he followed up Alisson’s save from Omari Hutchinson.

It was Forest’s biggest win at Anfield –- and their third in six matches under new manager Sean Dyche –- and Liverpool’s heaviest home defeat since losing 4-1 to Manchester City in 2021.

“Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad,” Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Premier League Productions. “That’s the least I can say about it.

“Those goals we conceded are far too easy and we all have to look in the mirror. I’ve been at this club so long now and we’ve been through adversity. We will bounce back but it doesn’t happen overnight. I’m not a quitter and we will keep going.”

- ‘Psychological boost’ -

The victory lifted Forest out of the relegation zone.

“We thoroughly deserved the win and the dressing room is quite lively,” Forest captain Ryan Yates told Sky Sports.

Reflecting on Dyche’s influence, he said: “He’s been huge, him and his staff. They came in, embraced everything about the club. Brought that togetherness with the team and the fans, that’s massive at Forest.

Yates added: “It’s a big psychological boost getting out of the relegation zone but it’s harder staying out of it and that is what this club demands.”

Liverpool’s latest loss will strengthen the view of critics who argue the Reds’ £450 million ($589 million) summer transfer window spending spree has destabilised the squad.

Reds manager Arne Slot thrust British record signing Alexander Isak straight back in the team after a month out in a bid to speed up his return to match fitness, but the ploy did not work with the Sweden international looking well short of his best.

Liverpool were arguably the better side for the opening 30 minutes but fell behind after Murillo opened the scoring when a corner flicked off Van Dijk.

Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels saved from both Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah to preserve the visitors’ lead.

But a minute into the second half a Liverpool defence where midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was at right-back due to injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong conceded again.

Former Liverpool full-back Neco Williams found space out on the left and his cut back allowed Savona to steer home.

Salah tried to drag Liverpool back into the game, poking wide and then being bundled off the ball by Nikola Milenkovic in the penalty area.

But Alisson parrying Omari Hutchinson’s 78th-minute shot into the path of Gibbs-White not only helped created Forest history but helped the midfielder to a personal landmark as he scored in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.