Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool continued their run without a win away from home as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Taiwo Awoniyi was able to score against his former club to give Forest a huge win in the context of their season.

Here are the main takeaways from Saturday's early kick off:

It has been a tough start to the campaign for The Reds, who secured their first victory since August against Liverpool at the City Ground on Saturday.

Since beating West Ham, it has not been an easy ride for Steve Cooper and his players, but they were able to defend effectively, as well as scoring the all-important goal to get a vital win.

Forest have now not conceded in their last two games having secured a point on the road against Brighton in a goalless draw in midweek.

That makes for a significant improvement on their five-match losing streak, which ended with a 4-0 loss against Leicester, which saw The Garibaldi ship 18 goals.

It seems that the side that made 21 signings over the summer are starting to gel.

The goal from their £17m summer signing also ended a run of two matches where the hosts had not been able to find the back of the net.

It was a hugely important win for Forest, and although their opponents have struggled of late, a win of that magnitude will do no harm to their attempts to improve.

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  • Awoniyi improves Forest's front line

Replacing Brennan Johnson in the starting lineup, Awoniyi proved to be the difference maker for Nottingham Forest.

The Nigerian netted 15 times last campaign for Union Berlin last campaign and had a point to prove against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

He caused issues for the visitors throughout the 90 minutes, creating chances as well as scoring.

While the goal was not a stunning strike and more involved Awoniyi being in the right place at the right time, his overall performance proved how much he adds to Forest's new look side.

Having never played for Liverpool in his three-year spell at the club, he did the perfect job of showing his former boss what he was missing out on whilst sporting Forest's red shirt on Saturday afternoon.

The 25-year-old also perhaps proved his worth over Johnson, despite him being a fan favourite.

Johnson did not have the same impact after he was introduced in the tie, nor has he been able to replicate his form in the Championship so far this term.

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  • Liverpool's away form has not been good enough

There is no doubt that Liverpool have been superb to watch in recent years, with Klopp's side playing their well-known 'heavy metal football'.

However, the 2019/2020 Premier League champions have struggled away from Anfield, and look a shadow of their former selves at times.

Whilst they have been able to pick up important victories, such as against Man City last week, The Reds have not been anywhere near the levels people have come to expect from them this campaign.

The drop in quality in Klopp's side has been particularly noticeable away from home, where they remain winless on their travels this season.

In Nottingham, Liverpool were unable to take the chances they created, also having defensive issues that allowed Awoniyi to tap home into an empty net for the goal.

It was not the only time they were tested either, as Alisson was forced into two top saves to keep the visitors in the game.

It will be very concerning to Klopp that the standard of his side has dropped so massively, and he will need to find the answers soon to avoid the Merseyside club slipping even further down the table. 

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  • Is Klopp's Liverpool tenure nearing its end?

The big question.

Perhaps not in itself a definitive takeaway from the match, but questions are certainly beginning to be asked about whether or not Klopp's Liverpool is reaching its conclusion.

The defeat against a struggling Forest side will not have helped to dispel those conversations.

It would be hard to suggest that Liverpool have any chance of having their say in the title race due to their poor start to the season, sitting 11 points adrift of Arsenal at the top.

The Reds are only four points behind fourth place, but with such a poor run of away form leaving them in seventh in the table, there will be concerns around whether Klopp and his side may have reached their ceiling at the club.

It would be too soon to write off a side of Liverpool's current ability, as they have constantly been a side that has challenged for titles, but it does feel as if change is starting to take place at Anfield.

The rate of pressing and the general tempo of their play does not seem to be at the level it once was, and with Klopp often struggling in his seventh season in charge of a club, his mission to break that curse has not gone to plan so far this term.

He will hope that this is only a blip at the start of the season that can be salvaged, but worrying signs are starting to show for Liverpool.

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