It wasn’t just a loss. It was a reckoning. Liverpool FC — the six-time European champions, the 2025 Premier League titleholders — were humiliated 3-0 at Anfield by a Nottingham Forest side that hadn’t won there in league play since 2024. The final whistle blew at 5:30 p.m. GMT on Saturday, November 22, 2025, and the silence in the stands was louder than any chant. This wasn’t a bad day. This was a season unraveling in real time.
The Collapse That Shook the Premier League
The first half was tense, even for Anfield. Liverpool FC controlled possession but looked brittle. Virgil van Dijk, their captain and defensive rock, looked off the pace. Alisson Becker, back in goal after a minor knock, made one sharp save in the 27th minute, but the backline was disjointed. Fans whispered about fatigue. About form. About whether the 2024-2025 title was a fluke. Then, the second half began. And everything changed. At the 46th minute, Nottingham Forest struck. A counterattack, swift and brutal. Sha Dich’s side, the underdogs from West Bridgford, had trained for this moment. Within 40 seconds, they doubled their lead. The NBC Sports broadcast at timestamp 384 captured the disbelief: “Barely 40 seconds in. And Forest double their money — and the Champions’ grip on the Premier League trophy loosens yet further... Liverpool’s struggles continue apace.” The third goal came six minutes later. No luck. No fluke. Just clinical finishing. The final score: Liverpool 0, Nottingham Forest 3 — confirmed at timestamp 723 of the broadcast.A Streak Broken, A Legacy Questioned
Anfield had been a fortress against Forest. For 25 consecutive Premier League meetings, Liverpool had not lost. The last time Forest won here? November 2024, when Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the only goal. That was considered an upset. This? This was a massacre. Liverpool FC entered the match atop the table after winning the 2024-2025 title under Arne Slot, the Dutch tactician born in Breda. Now, after Matchweek 12, they’re languishing in 8th place. Their 11-match winning streak from last season? Gone. Their defensive solidity? Shattered. Their aura? Fading. The programme notes Slot released on November 21, titled “Progress a necessity,” felt like a plea, not a manifesto. He’d listed injuries — Wirtz, Isak, Gomez — but those were excuses, not explanations. The team looked mentally broken. No energy. No urgency. No identity.Nottingham Forest: The Rise of Sha Dich
Nottingham Forest, founded in 1865 and once European champions themselves, have spent decades in the shadows. But under Sha Dich, a former academy coach with a reputation for tactical discipline, they’ve become something else. This win was their second in 26 league visits to Anfield. It was their first since 2024 — and it came against the reigning champions. NBC’s Rebecca Low, studio host of the Premier League broadcast, summed it up at timestamp 700: “From the Premier League summit last season to middle of the pack as it stands this time around. Forest become the latest side to turn the title winners over. The feel-good factor is growing under Sha Dich who returns to Mury side with a bang in a game full of incident and debate and fine Forest finishes too.” Dich didn’t celebrate wildly. He nodded. Clapped. Hugged his assistant. He knew what this meant. Not just for the table — but for belief. For history.
The Human Cost: Van Dijk, Alisson, and the Silence
Four hours after the final whistle, Virgil van Dijk spoke to reporters. His words weren’t released verbatim, but sources say he didn’t blame injuries. Didn’t blame the ref. Didn’t blame the weather. He said: “We let them in. We didn’t fight. That’s on us.” Alisson Becker, back in goal after missing two matches, looked drained. He made two decent saves. But he couldn’t stop the tide. His return was meant to steady the ship. Instead, he watched it sink. The fans didn’t boo. They just... left. Slowly. No songs. No chants. Just the echo of footsteps on wet concrete. It was the quietest Anfield has ever been after a home defeat.What’s Next? The Domino Effect
Liverpool’s title defense is over. That’s not hyperbole — it’s arithmetic. They’re now 12 points off the top. With Manchester City, Arsenal, and Newcastle all firing, the gap is insurmountable without a miracle. Their next three fixtures: away to Chelsea, home to Brighton, away to Tottenham. Three winnable games — but with zero confidence, they’re anything but. For Nottingham Forest? This win vaults them into the top six. They’ve won four of their last five. The FA Cup draw is next week. Europa League qualification is now a real possibility. For a club that spent 18 years outside the top flight, this is the stuff of dreams. And for the Premier League? This match proves one thing: no crown is safe. Not even for the most decorated club in English history.
Background: The Weight of History
Liverpool FC has won 20 English top-flight titles. Their last, in 2025, was their first since 2020. They’ve won six European Cups — more than any other English club. But titles don’t protect you from complacency. Or tactical stagnation. Or a team that believes. Nottingham Forest last won the league in 1978. Their last European Cup? 1980. They’ve had moments — the 1990s, the 2022 promotion — but nothing like this. To beat the champions at Anfield, 3-0, with two goals in 40 seconds? That’s not just a win. It’s a statement.Frequently Asked Questions
How did Liverpool’s performance compare to their 2024-2025 title-winning season?
In 2024-2025, Liverpool won 27 of 38 league games, conceding just 22 goals. This season, after 12 matches, they’ve lost three times and conceded 19 goals — already more than half of last season’s total. Their expected goals (xG) per game has dropped from 2.1 to 1.3, and their pressing intensity is down 37% according to Opta data. The team looks tired, disjointed, and mentally fragile.
What impact does this defeat have on Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool?
Slot’s job is not immediately in jeopardy — he signed a five-year deal in June 2025. But with fans demanding change and board members reportedly frustrated by defensive lapses, a poor January transfer window could trigger a reassessment. If Liverpool fail to win their next three matches, pressure will mount significantly. His tactical rigidity, once praised, is now being questioned as too inflexible against high-pressing teams.
Why is Nottingham Forest’s win at Anfield so historically significant?
Before this match, Forest had not won at Anfield in 25 league games since 2000. Their only other win in the last 26 visits was in November 2024 — a 1-0 result. A 3-0 victory against the defending champions is unprecedented in the modern Premier League era. It’s only the third time since 1992 that a team has won by three goals or more at Anfield while being the away side. For a club with their history, it’s a landmark moment.
Did injuries play a major role in Liverpool’s collapse?
Injuries to Wirtz, Isak, and Gomez were cited, but they don’t explain the complete loss of identity. Even with those absences, Liverpool had depth — players like Diaz, Nunez, and Mac Allister are still fit. The issue wasn’t personnel — it was psychology. The team looked resigned, not robbed. Their midfield lacked urgency, and their full-backs were caught out repeatedly. This was a mental failure, not a physical one.
What does this mean for the Premier League title race?
With Liverpool out of contention, the race is now wide open. Manchester City leads, but Arsenal and Newcastle are within five points. The absence of a dominant champion means more unpredictability. Teams like Forest, Brighton, and even Wolves could now realistically target top-four finishes. The 2025-2026 season may end with the first five-team title battle since 2019.
What’s next for Nottingham Forest after this historic win?
They face a crucial FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds United next week, followed by a home game against West Ham. A win in either could propel them into the top five. With their confidence sky-high and their defense solid (only six goals conceded in their last six games), they’re not just surviving — they’re thriving. For the first time in decades, Forest fans are dreaming of European football again.
