Liverpool left the City Ground with all three points after a tense, scrappy game that never really flowed. Alexis Mac Allister settled it in the seventh minute of stoppage time, giving the Reds a dramatic 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest. It wasn’t a polished display, and Forest had every reason to feel hard done by, but the result keeps Liverpool’s top-four chase on track in a season packed with late moments. – Watch the Highlights
For long spells, the match looked set for a 0-0 draw. Then the closing minutes turned messy. Mac Allister briefly thought he’d won it earlier in added time, but VAR ruled his effort out for handball after a long check. Liverpool stayed on the front foot, and the midfielder reacted quickest in the next phase, finishing from close range to spark huge celebrations in the away end. Forest, meanwhile, stood stunned as a point slipped away at the death.
Match Highlights
- Fast Forest start: Forest began with energy, and Callum Hudson-Odoi tested Alisson early with a shot that needed a sharp save.
- Reds struggle before the break: Liverpool labored through the first half, lacked ideas in the final third, and rarely opened up Forest’s compact shape.
- More spark after halftime: Liverpool improved a little after the restart, and changes helped, including teenage forward Rio Ngumoha coming on for Mohamed Salah, yet clear chances stayed limited.
- VAR takes one away: Late in added time, Mac Allister’s first strike was wiped out after a handball review.
- 97th-minute winner: After a late set piece and scramble in the box, Mac Allister struck from a few yards out, sending the ball down the middle of the goal.
- Last push: Forest threw bodies forward in the final moments, but Liverpool held firm to protect the clean sheet.
With this finish, Liverpool added to a familiar theme. The goal marked their 48th Premier League strike in the 90th minute or later, a total that sits at least 12 ahead of any other club.
Nottingham Forest Performance and Key Stats
Vitor Pereira set Forest up well, and his side stuck to the plan. They stayed organized, defended their box, and made Liverpool work for everything. For most of the afternoon, they looked set to earn a valuable point against one of the league’s biggest teams. However, one late lapse was enough to undo a strong showing.
Nottingham Forest Match Stats Table
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Possession | ~42% |
| Shots | 8 |
| Shots on Target | 3 |
| Corners | 4 |
| Fouls | 12 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 |
| xG (Expected Goals) | ~0.9 |
| Final Score | 0 |
Forest’s defenders and goalkeeper held up well for almost the full match, and the home crowd stayed engaged because Liverpool rarely looked comfortable.
Liverpool Performance and Key Stats
Liverpool won, but the performance still raised eyebrows. They controlled more of the ball, yet too often they moved it slowly and created little from open play. Even so, they kept going, and that persistence paid off when the match turned chaotic late on.
Liverpool Match Stats Table
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Possession | ~58% |
| Shots | 14 |
| Shots on Target | 5 |
| Corners | 7 |
| Fouls | 10 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 |
| xG (Expected Goals) | ~1.76 |
| Final Score | 1 |
| Goal Scorer | Alexis Mac Allister (90+7′) |
Alisson drew praise for key saves, and Ibrahima Konate earned man-of-the-match shouts in some reports for his steady defending (often rated 7/10 or higher). Others, including Dominik Szoboszlai, had quieter spells. In the end, Mac Allister made the difference when it mattered most.
Post-Match Reaction
Liverpool’s manager focused on the relief of getting the points, pointing to the team’s habit of fighting until the final whistle. On the other hand, Forest boss Vitor Pereira called the result “not fair,” because his side stayed solid for so long before conceding so late.
The win lifts Liverpool’s league total to 45 points (13 wins, 6 draws, 8 losses), helping their Champions League push. Forest remain on 27 points (7 wins, 6 draws, 14 losses), and they’ll feel they deserved at least a draw.
As the Premier League season keeps twisting, this night at the City Ground added another late entry to Liverpool’s list of stoppage-time winners, and it could matter a lot by May.
