Chelsea`s Pedro Neto, right, scores the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Burnley v Chelsea, in Burnley, England, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Gary Oakley/PA via AP)

Liverpool`s Premier League title defense lurched deeper into crisis Saturday - losing 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest.

A sixth defeat of the campaign left last season`s runaway champion 11th in the standings and eight points behind leader Arsenal, having played a game more.

"Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home against Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad," said Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. "That`s the least I can say about it."

Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White at Anfield consigned Liverpool to a sixth defeat from its last seven games in England`s top flight.

To put that into context, Arne Slot`s team only lost four over the entire season last term when winning a record-equaling 20th title.

Chelsea closed the gap on Arsenal to three points with a 2-0 win at Burnley. Crystal Palace beat Wolverhampton 2-0 and Fulham won 1-0 at home to Sunderland.

Brighton won 2-1 against Brentford while Bournemouth came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with West Ham.

It was the second time in successive seasons Forest has won at Anfield and it lifted Sean Dyche`s team out of the relegation zone. It was also back-to-back wins for the first time this term for Forest, which is already on its third coach following the firings of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.

How Liverpool could do with a similar winning run after seeing its title defense unravel long before the season has even reached the halfway point.

It has only won once in the league since Sept. 20. and the latest loss could have been even worse, with Forest seeing a first-half strike from Igor Jesus ruled out for handball.

That would have doubled the visitors` lead after Murillo had opened the scoring with a low effort from inside the box in the 33rd minute. Ultimately it mattered little as Forest pressed home its superiority in the second half through Savona a minute after the restart.

As Liverpool tried to mount a comeback, Gibbs-White put the game beyond doubt in the 78th.

Not even the return of goalkeeper Alisson from injury and a first start in a month for British record signing Alexander Isak could turn Liverpool`s form around.

Isak was substituted after 68 minutes and extended his goalless run to six games since scoring his only goal of the season against second division Southampton in September.

Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored at Turf Moor as Chelsea provisionally moved up to second.

Arsenal plays Tottenham on Sunday, while Manchester City can retake second place later Saturday when it plays at Newcastle.

Neto headed Chelsea in front in the 37th minute for his second goal in as many games and his fourth this season.

Fernandez sealed the win in the 88th with a low shot from inside the box.