Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool: Player Ratings and Match Reaction
Liverpool left it late to secure a dramatic 1-0 win against Nottingham Forest, with Alexis Mac Allister striking in the 97th minute to settle a tense Premier League clash. Arne Slot’s side kept pushing until the final whistle and were rewarded deep into stoppage time, while Vitor Pereira’s Forest battled hard but could not hold on.
Played in front of 30,737 supporters at the City Ground, the contest felt cagey for long spells. Forest stayed organised, forcing Liverpool to circulate possession patiently. The breakthrough finally arrived in chaotic fashion, ensuring the visitors claimed three crucial points in the race for European qualification.
Key Moments From City Ground
The decisive goal came after sustained Liverpool pressure. Virgil van Dijk’s downward header forced a sharp save from Stefan Ortega, yet Mac Allister reacted quickest to bundle home the rebound. Earlier in stoppage time, the midfielder thought he had already scored, only for VAR to intervene after a handball.
Ortega had previously produced an excellent stop to deny Hugo Ekitike, and Forest defended resolutely, with Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic frequently stepping in to block attempts. Still, Liverpool’s persistence proved decisive as they pushed Forest deeper during the closing stages.
Photo: IMAGO
Tactical Notes and Player Impact
Slot’s Liverpool struggled to find rhythm in midfield, with Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones unable to fully control the tempo. Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo were largely kept quiet by Forest’s defensive shape, while Morgan Gibbs White and Callum Hudson Odoi looked lively whenever the hosts broke forward.
Forest attempted to exploit wide areas through Neco Williams and Ola Aina, yet clear chances remained limited. Pereira’s team showed discipline, though the late concession underlined how fine the margins can be in Premier League matches.
The victory moves Liverpool level on points with fourth placed Chelsea and Manchester United in fifth, adding further intrigue to the table as the season progresses.
Player Ratings
Nottingham Forest:Stefan Ortega 5Ola Aina 6Nikola Milenkovic 6Murillo 7Neco Williams 7Ibrahim Sangare 6Elliott Anderson 7Morgan Gibbs White 7Callum Hudson Odoi 7Omari Hutchinson 5Igor Jesus 5
Liverpool:Alisson Becker 5Dominik Szoboszlai 7Ibrahima Konate 6Virgil van Dijk 7Milos Kerkez 6Ryan Gravenberch 5Alexis Mac Allister 6Curtis Jones 5Mohamed Salah 5Hugo Ekitike 5Cody Gakpo 5