Match reportJota, Nunez and Salah on target as Liverpool beat Forest at Anfield

Diogo Jota swept the Reds into the lead on 31 minutes when he pounced to covert after Matt Turner had saved from Darwin Nunez.

Nunez himself then got on the scoresheet soon after, turning in a low Dominik Szoboszlai centre from close range.

Mohamed Salah added Liverpool’s third in the 77th minute when he capitalised on an error from Forest goalkeeper Turner and rolled the ball into an unguarded net from outside the box.

In doing so, the Egyptian became only the third man in the club’s history to score in each of the opening five home league matches of a season and capped a good afternoon’s work from Jürgen Klopp’s side.

Team news

Liverpool made seven changes from the victory over Toulouse on Thursday night, with only Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch, Jota and Nunez retaining their places in the line-up.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold (Gomez, 88), Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch (Elliott, 58), Jota (Gakpo, 58), Salah, Nunez (Endo, 79).

Unused substitutes: Adrian, Kelleher, Matip, Chambers, McConnell.

First half

Liverpool kicked off at Anfield aiming to make it a hat-trick of wins in the space of little over a week at home.

Indeed, it was the hosts who seized the early initiative and a Salah pass over the top almost presented a chance for Nunez with four minutes gone, but his swipe on the turn was collected by Turner.

Jota then failed to connect properly with a headed opportunity from a corner, sending an effort into the ground and the gloves of the visiting goalkeeper.

Forest, though, were defending resolutely. An around-the-corner pass from Salah almost released Gravenberch into a shooting position from close range, but he was crowded out by Willy Boly.

On 29, the Reds forced their best chance of the contest so far when Salah sent Nunez speeding into space inside the box. His drive towards the near post from a narrow angle was parried by Turner.

The resulting corner then saw the No.9 plant a firm header over from the crossbar from a central position.

Nevertheless, the pressure finally told just after the half-hour. Alexis Mac Allister won possession back just inside Liverpool’s half to start a counter, which resulted in Salah sliding a pass into the path of Nunez.

His powerful thump across goal was beaten away by Turner, but Jota was on hand to sweep in the rebound.

The forward raced to the side of the pitch before holding up a shirt bearing the name of Luis Diaz in a show of support to his teammate.

One would become two soon after. Szoboszlai and Salah exchanged passes on the right before the former cut the ball back from the touchline, enabling Nunez to hammer in from point-blank range.

By now, Turner was being kept busy and he was required to make two saves in quick succession to thwart Gravenberch and Szoboszlai before the break.

Second half

The two first-half goals had put Liverpool in firm command of the game and the opening exchanges of the second period were an exercise in control.

A double change just before the hour saw Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo enter the action – and the former was instantly involved, having a goalbound effort deflected behind by Ola Aina.

Salah then flashed a free-kick over the bar from a good position, but Forest did spurn an opportunity to reduce the arrears when Nicolas Dominguez miscued from a square ball from Morgan Gibbs-White inside the box.

Salah did find the net with 13 minutes remaining, however, when he made the most of Turner’s misjudgment on the bounce of a long ball forward from Szoboszlai. With the goalkeeper well outside his area, the Egyptian was able to roll into the empty net from 25 yards.

It was the No.11’s 10th of the campaign so far – and one that saw him join Harry Chambers and John Aldridge in achieving the feat of scoring in each of the Reds’ first five home league matches of a season.

Gakpo went close when his near-post shot skimmed just wide, while Anthony Elanga smacked the underside of Alisson Becker’s crossbar with a volley as the contest edged into its final stages.

In stoppage time Gakpo tapped home from yards out and was denied by an offside review, but Liverpool’s work was already done.

Attendance: 50,143