Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool. Premier League.
The City GroundAttendance29,603.
Match report and free highlights as Liverpool defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground thanks to Darwin Nunez's winning goal deep into stoppage time; Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis appeared pitch-side amid drama at full-time
Sunday 3 March 2024 08:48, UK
Darwin Nunez headed in a dramatic 99th-minute winner for Liverpool to beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 amid chaotic scenes at the City Ground.
Forest had fought hard throughout and had chances to win it themselves but failed to clear one final corner and Nunez, on as a substitute, headed in Alexis Mac Allister's deep cross to spark wild scenes of celebration in the away end.
Jurgen Klopp's side remain depleted by injuries but this could prove a pivotal moment in the title race. Had they failed to score, they could have found themselves third by Monday evening. Instead, they finish the day four points clear of Manchester City.
For Forest, there was huge frustration given that the ball had been returned to Liverpool shortly before the decisive goal went in, following a head injury with them in possession. Evangelos Marinakis, the Forest owner, appeared pitch-side as others remonstrated with the officials.
It later emerged that referee Paul Tierney should have given Nottingham Forest the ball back minutes before Liverpool's dramatic 99th-minute winner that sparked chaotic scenes at full-time.
"Protection is massive for us," Klopp had stressed before the game, wary of the Forest counter-attack, and he had good reason to be worried - never more so than when Anthony Elanga raced through. Caoimhin Kelleher saved well with his legs.
Liverpool had more of the ball but found space restricted through the middle despite the best efforts of Bobby Clark, making his first Premier League start. Luis Diaz was busy, forcing Murillo into a desperate block to prevent him finding a first-half breakthrough.
In the second half, Andrew Robertson had his shot blocked by Andrew Omobamidele with the goalkeeper beaten, Klopp cutting an increasingly frustrated figure. He turned to Nunez and Wataru Endo - eventually adding Dominik Szoboszlai too.
But Forest remained dangerous and Elanga will no doubt rue his second missed chance of the game, side-footing wide of the post after good hold-up play by substitute Taiwo Awoniyi. Credit to Nuno's side, this game was in the balance right until the end.
What followed was cruel on them. Having had play stopped for an apparent head injury to Ibrahima Konate to curtail their own final attack, the combination of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Awoniyi spurned the chance to clear the ball at the other end - it was costly.
Nunez, compared unfavourably to Andy Carroll upon his introduction by the home fans, was there to head in Mac Allister's cross. The mark of champions? The Liverpool supporters are starting to believe so. Klopp's fairy-tale ending has added another chapter.
The sense of injustice was palpable inside the ground, all stemming from the decision to return to the ball to the Liverpool goalkeeper following the Konate stoppage. Hudson-Odoi had the ball on the left wing and was ready to put the ball back into the box.
The anger among the Forest support - and their staff - was apparent even before Nunez's winner just moments later but that goal sent emotions over the edge. Amid chaotic scenes, Marinakis appeared, while Steven Reid, a member of the coaching staff, was red-carded.
"I will not comment on the referee," Nuno began his press conference.
"Please don't insist on that, it will not be good. It will be a discussion point, for sure, in the week. I hope the decisions will be better."
As for the result itself, he said: "It is tough to take, I am proud of the boys. They did everything well until the last moment.
"We played a very good game, limited Liverpool, a fantastic team. They had chances, we had chances, it was a good game of football. We had clear chances and should improve. We played good but the team that are clinical get the advantage in the score.
"Our fans deserve to go home happy and they are not."
While Nuno would not discuss the subject, Mark Clattenburg, the former Premier League referee who is now working in a refereeing analysis role for Nottingham Forest, was more forthcoming.
He claimed that the decision by referee Paul Tierney to return the ball to Liverpool was incorrect under the laws of the game.
"Under the laws of the game, the team that has possession when he blows the whistle to stop the game - he is entitled to stop the game because it is a potential head injury - but whoever has the possession, the ball goes back to that team and the other team retreat one metre," said Clattenburg.
"They changed the law because they did not want a contested drop ball. So, years ago when we had contested drop balls, players used to swing legs and people could get injured so I understand the law change. But the laws state that certainly if the ball is outside of the penalty area and you have possession of the ball, you get possession back.
"In that crucial moment, Nottingham Forest have got the ball in the corner so they can absorb the time, see the time out to get the result, 0-0. The ball has gone back to Liverpool and they have won a corner. People can say they could have cleared their lines but from that initial moment players can lose concentration because they feel there has been an injustice."
Clattenburg said that he will be speaking to the Forest hierarchy about what happened. "I will sit down with the board and the owners to explain what has happened. It is difficult to explain it." But there has been no dialogue with Tierney himself. "No, I went to go into the dressing room but he would not let us in."
Speaking in the press conference, Klopp commented on the Forest fans comparing Nunez unfavourably with former Liverpool striker Carroll prior to his winning goal.
"I would not sing a song like that. I would not try to wind Darwin up. It is a super-important goal that gives us three points and that is always super-decisive. For him it is super deserved.
"Because people are singing that song more often and that's the best way to calm it immediately down. They can sing it if Darwin responds like he did today.
"I understood it. I think he understands it. It is the best answer."
Nottingham Forest head to Brighton next Sunday (kick-off 2pm).
Liverpool take on Sparta Prague on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie (kick-off 5.45pm) before their crucial showdown with Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 3.45pm).
