Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool are now level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for a Champions League spot after a dramatic 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Alexis Mac Allister scored the decisive goal in the 97th minute, snatching victory for the Reds at The City Ground.
Mac Allister, who had believed he scored seven minutes earlier, eventually netted the decisive goal deep in stoppage time, firing the rebound from Virgil van Dijk’s initial header past Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The victory marked Liverpool’s second consecutive Premier League win and moved them within touching distance of the Champions League places. The Reds are level on points with fifth-place Manchester United and fourth-place Chelsea, with 11 matches remaining.
It also extends their lead over seventh-place Brentford to five points and eighth-place Bournemouth to seven. Arne Slot’s side are now in a strong position to push for a top-four finish, while Manchester United have suffered an injury setback in their own Champions League chase.
United defender Lisandro Martinez will miss their upcoming game against Everton due to a suspected calf injury, according to The Athletic.
The 28-year-old had started United’s last nine Premier League matches and played the full 90 minutes in their 1-1 draw with West Ham United on February 10. Martinez, who has battled injuries throughout his United career, returned from a nine-month layoff in November after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to his left knee.
United hope this latest problem will keep him out for just one to two weeks. Under interim manager Michael Carrick, Martinez has been partnered with Harry Maguire at the heart of United’s defence, helping the team keep two clean sheets in five matches and secure wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur.
Martinez’s absence could see Leny Yoro or Ayden Heaven step into the starting XI, with Matthijs de Ligt remaining sidelined due to a back problem that has kept him out since November.
United will enter Monday’s game aiming to consolidate their top-five position and strengthen their Champions League hopes. With Chelsea having drawn 1-1 with Burnley on Saturday, a victory for United would see them leapfrog the Blues into fourth place and sit just three points behind third-place Aston Villa.
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