Liverpool's ruthless goalscoring machine shows why they are title contenders

30 October 2023 , 07:00

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Liverpool's ruthless goalscoring machine shows why they are title contenders

Such is the strength of Liverpool’s goalscoring machine, that even Luis Diaz’s unexpected loss cannot slow them down.

This most routine of wins takes Liverpool’s goals tally to 36 in 14 games and is the main reason why they will challenge for silverware this season. Diaz was absent from Anfield on compassionate grounds after the horror of his parents’ kidnapping in his native Colombia on Saturday night.

Liverpool paid tribute to Diaz and Diogo Jota ran over to the touchline to hold up his No 7 shirt after scoring the Reds’ opener. Diaz, who has scored three goals for the Reds, would have started on the left of their attack against Nottingham Forest and his replacement, Darwin Nunez, made up for his loss.

Nunez had a hand in Liverpool’s first goal and bagged the second before Mohamed Salah scored his customary goal at Anfield as Klopp’s side finished their week at home with three wins by aggregate score of 10-1. Salah almost has as many milestones as goals and he is only the third Liverpool player, and the first since John Aldridge in 1987, to score in his first five home league games.

Forest showed very little and this loss makes it six without a win for Steve Cooper’s side. Cooper, who spent five years as a youth coach at Liverpool, knows results at Anfield will not decide Forest’s fate and they are five points above the drop zone.

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Liverpool 2.0, as Klopp’s calls his rebuilt Reds, are learning how to cope with the low block and for the second Premier League match in a row at Anfield, their opponents went with five at the back after Everton lined up this way in the second half of the derby. It took almost half an hour before Liverpool opened up Forest’s massed ranks when Murillo slipped to let Nunez in and his shot was saved by Matt Turner.

Mohamed Salah (right) celebrates with Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott after scoring the third Liverpool goal (PA)

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Nunez then headed over from six yards out from the resultant corner when the Uruguayan should have hit the target. It mattered not and Liverpool prised Forest open with two goals inside four minutes to effectively win the match.

Alexis MacAllister won possession to send Salah away on the right as Liverpool broke three on two on Forest. Salah fed Nunez and when his shot was parried by Turner, Jota was on hand to knock home his sixth goal of the season. Jota ran over to hold up Diaz’s shirt to show everyone associated with the club is thinking of him following the ordeal of his parents’ kidnapping.

Forest were reeling and Liverpool took full advantage to bag a second when Salah played in Dominik Szoboszlai on the right and he centred for Nunez to stab home his sixth of the campaign from three yards out. Turner was busy and he saved from Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai in quick succession.

Liverpool were content to switch to cruise control in the second half, briefly moving up through the gears to bag their third on 77 minutes. Turner made an absolute hash of clearing a though ball from the excellent Szoboszlai after advancing well out of his area and Salah was presented with the simplest of goals.

Cody Gakpo reminded everyone of his goal threat and the Dutchman hit a left-foot shot narrowly wide. Anthony Elanga should have scored a consolation effort for Forest and he fired against the bar on the left before shooting over from another opportunity.

David Anderson