It was the day Arne Slott revealed that the Premier League is not all fun and games as Liverpool and their manager were duped by Nuno Espirito Santo and Nottingham Forest. Callum Hudson-Odoi came on as a substitute and handed the Dutchman their first defeat at Anfield with the winger’s signature strike. Everything Nuno does, from tactics to team selection and substitutions, is effective. His scrappy side followed the manager’s instructions to the letter, shutting out Liverpool for 90 minutes and launching several counter-attacks, but Hudson-Odoi eventually came off the bench to help Forest score their first goal since 1969. First win at Anfield since 1969. It’s been a long wait and their fans celebrated the moment like this.
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Slott have enjoyed a comfortable start in England, winning their first three games without conceding a goal. With confidence in his style and his players, he chose the same starting line-up for the third game in a row to get a completely different result. Forest arrived and left unbeaten, growing in confidence under a manager who could change teams and adapt tactics depending on the situation. By the time the winner arrived, Liverpool had received plenty of warning of Forest’s counter-attacking threat. Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga all missed chances to break the deadlock, but it was Hudson-Odoi who hit a quick counter-attack. When the former Chelsea man received the ball on the left, he only had one goal. He cut inside, although Conor Bradley allowed him to make a well-choreographed move before slotting the ball past Alisson in the corner. Nuno’s plan was to focus on midfield, select five midfielders and try to neutralize them in an area that Liverpool had controlled in their previous three wins. Ryan Yates was named as the main irritant after his aggressive play caused the most outrage at Anfield, resulting in Andy Robertson and Alexis Mack Alexis Mack Allister being treated for a clash that led to multiple suspensions.