Liverpool's afternoon couldn't have really got any worse when Sean Dyche's Nottingham Forest rolled into town and steamrolled the Premier League champions 3-0 at Anfield.
Arne Slot's men could've even lost by a larger margin had Igor Jesus' first-half strike not been controversially disallowed for a handball offence. Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White condemned the Reds to a sixth Premier League defeat in the last seven matches.
With a busy schedule coming up, Slot is already facing availability issues, with key defenders Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni out of action. However, former PGMOL boss Keith Hackett believes another of Liverpool's top stars should be out of action for the coming fixtures.
Ryan Gravenberch Lucky vs Nottingham Forest
Ryan Gravenberch
Amid a potential crisis in the backline, Slot often turns to Ryan Gravenberch to drop to centre-back to allow Ibrahima Konate a rest later in games. That was the case again during the defeat vs Nottingham Forest. The Dutchman moved backwards as more attacking options were brought on, but was he lucky to have even been on the pitch himself?
Well, Hackett - who was a top-flight referee himself - believes an incident in the first-half should've seen the Netherlands international sent for an early shower. The incident in question saw Gravenberch go in on Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare with a high challenge that saw his studs connect with the shin of the opposing player.
The Liverpool man wasn't cautioned by the referee on the pitch, and VAR decided not to step in. Hackett, however, has expressed his concern at that decision not to show a red card. Speaking to Football Insider, he stated: "I worry about the interpretation from our referees on serious foul play. We need to look at excessive force – did he come in at pace?
"It’s always a judgment. But what’s worrying me is where the landing area of the players’ feet is. This is about six inches above the ankle, so it’s a very vulnerable position.
“For the referee not to see this… I guess the VAR was out having a cup of tea or making one. He just wasn’t there, and again, it’s a poor decision."
Not stopping there, the retired official suggested Gravenberch be kept under observation in the coming games. He continued: "If I were in charge of these referees, I’d be showing them one or two clips from this player and saying, ‘Look, you need an eye on this guy. You need to keep an eye on him because he’s got a tendency to do this’.
“If you tell me referees don’t mark the cards of players, I’m telling you that they do. They’re prepared going into games just as much as players doing corners and set-pieces."
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Arne Slot's Sigh of Relief
Liverpool manager Arne Slot during their match against Real Madrid.
Fixtures are coming thick and fast for the English giants, and Slot will need to get results moving in a positive position in the coming weeks, or risk losing the Merseyside fan base completely. Supporters streamed out of Anfield following Forest's third goal on Saturday, a sight that's not often seen.
Had Gravenberch been sent off, he would've likely been suspended for upcoming league clashes against West Ham, Sunderland and Leeds United. With Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones taking turns at filling in at right-back, that would've been far from ideal.
That said, there could have been few complaints if Gravenberch had been given his marching orders. Whenever the studs make contact high up the shin, it's always going to be a nervous moment for players, the manager and fans watching on.
Liverpool Losing Ground
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk puts his hand on his head.
Premier League - Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 22, 2025 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk reacts REUTERS/Phil Noble
Lifting the Premier League trophy in front of a packed Anfield in May, just six months ago, must seem like a distant memory to everyone connected to Liverpool. Starting the season like they were here to dominate English football once again, Slot's men have picked up just three points in seven games since winning the opening five fixtures.
An outlay of over £400 million on new players over the summer suggested the club were going from strength to strength on the pitch. However, there are still squad depth issues in key areas that could add even further misery on the red side of Merseyside in the upcoming busy festive period. They need all the players available they can get, with unnecessary red cards being the last thing Slot needs.