Liverpool’s Season Sinks Deeper as Dyche’s Forest Stun Slot’s Side at Anfield

For former Everton manager Sean Dyche, this was nothing short of a tactical masterclass — a disciplined, defiant, and ultimately ruthless display that silenced Anfield and deepened Liverpool’s growing crisis.

Liverpool dominated the numbers — 74.6% possession, 21 shots, and 617 passes — but Dyche’s Forest delivered where it mattered. The visitors absorbed pressure, hit clinically on the counter, and punished every lapse in concentration.

Dyche’s Discipline vs Slot’s Disorder

Forest’s opener came midway through the first half, setting the tone for a disciplined away performance. Liverpool’s response was slow and uncertain, their 4-3-3 shape looking sterile despite midfielders Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister seeing plenty of the ball. Slot’s side completed 549 of 617 passes (89%), yet their final-third play lacked incision — just four of 21 shots found the target.

In contrast, Forest were ruthless on the break. Early in the second half, Dyche’s compact 4-2-3-1 setup struck again when Nicolò Savona — arriving late in the box — smashed home Neco Williams’ cross to double the lead. It was a devastating blow that showcased Dyche’s signature traits: defensive organisation, relentless work rate, and set-piece precision.

Liverpool continued to huff and puff, registering 48 touches in the opposition box, but they never looked like scoring. Even when substitutes Federico Chiesa and Andy Robertson were introduced for Alexander Isak and Milos Kerkez in the 68th minute, Forest’s back line stood firm. Hugo Ekitike also replaced Ibrahima Konaté at 55 minutes as Slot chased a spark, but his reshuffle failed to change the pattern.

Forest’s Fight and Frustration for the Reds

By the time Rio Ngumoha replaced Jones late on, frustration had turned to resignation among the home support. Liverpool’s expected goals tally (xG 2.016) flattered to deceive, their possession sterile and predictable against a Forest side who made every challenge count. Dyche’s men won 56 duels to Liverpool’s 53, made 27 tackles (17 successful), and cleared the ball 45 times, defending with the kind of grit and aggression Dyche once demanded across Stanley Park.

Forest were more direct — just 211 passes compared to Liverpool’s 617 — but their attacking efficiency stood out. They recorded 15 shots, seven on target, and an xG of 1.32, converting nearly every meaningful opportunity. In the closing stages, Alisson denied Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White, but by then the damage was done.

Liverpool’s fatigue was clear. They covered less ground (97.44 km to Forest’s 103.92 km) and looked short of ideas in transition. Gravenberch’s yellow card on 66 minutes symbolised a side losing control. Salah, who played the full 90, missed two good chances — including one clear effort from the centre of the box — and his body language mirrored the frustration of a side bereft of confidence.

Slot Under Scrutiny

For Arne Slot, this result will sting more than most. Home defeats of this magnitude are rare at Anfield, but the manner of it — against a Dyche side, compact and clinical — will concern both supporters and the hierarchy. The statistics might show dominance, yet the performance suggested something far deeper: a team unsure of its rhythm and increasingly brittle under pressure.

Dyche’s Forest, meanwhile, were everything Liverpool were not — organised, efficient, and opportunistic. The former Everton boss relished his return to Merseyside, masterminding a plan that exposed Liverpool’s structural flaws while reminding the Kop what genuine resilience looks like.

With Champions League form papering over domestic cracks, the question is no longer if Slot is under pressure — but how much time he has to fix it. Anfield’s patience has limits, and performances like this test every inch of it.

Liverpool may have owned the ball, but ultimately Sean Dyche owned the night.