The Paul Gorst verdict from Nottingham Forest as Liverpool leave it late to secure a vital 1-0 win at the City Ground
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, acknowledges the fans following the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool at City Ground on February 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Arne Slot acknowledges the Liverpool fans following his side's late 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
View Image
Throughout this turbulent and troubled campaign, Arne Slot has often argued that Liverpool haven't always got what they have deserved. He might want to add this to the list.
Across the balance of play, Liverpool were fortunate to emerge from the City Ground with just their second league win here in 42 years, but the nature this 1-0 victory, their second successive triumph on the road, may inject further belief that they can end this term with a place in the Champions League.
Having been denied by a handball call from VAR in the closing stages - when Ola Aina's clearance initially appeared to have struck him on the back - Alexis Mac Allister would not be denied a second time, pouncing on a loose ball to plunder home and give the Reds a huge three points against Nottingham Forest.
Author avatar
Author avatar
It wasn't pretty and it was far from flowing but Slot's players dug deep to keep a rejuvenated Forest at bay under their fourth manager of the season in Vitor Pereira. And their desire to keep going is what ultimately allowed them to pilfer a winning goal here. How refreshing it must feel for Slot to be on the right side of some late drama for a change.
Too many Liverpool games have hung in the balance this season and eight points shelled from goals conceded in stoppage time - six in total - is what has left them in the current mess they find themselves in. But file this alongside Newcastle United, Arsenal, Burnley and Bournemouth, way back in the early weeks of the term, when the champions left it late to collect maximum points.
It says it all that Mac Allister's 97th-minute winner is only the Reds' second latest of the campaign. Games this season, in fact, have been settled by goals scored in the 93rd, 94th, 95th (twice) 96th, 97th (twice) and 100th minute. When you include the winning goals against Arsenal and for Manchester United at Anfield, in the 83rd and 84th minute, respectively, it's clear that leaving matches early has become a mug's game for supporters.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source.Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
A desperate first half littered with sloppy passes and lapses in concentration saw Forest dominate proceedings, particularly in midfield where the powerful Ibrahim Sangare shone.
Liverpool came off second best in the duels all half and were unable to really gain any momentum as they struggled to piece together any passing sequences against an intense Forest side out to build on their Europa League dismantling of Fenerbahce.
Alisson Beckerwas alert to deny Callum Hudson-Odoi after the winger had got in behind Dominik Szoboszlai, whose experiment at right-back didn't even last the first half before he returned to central midfield.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate held firm as the rest of their team-mates wilted while Forest cranked up the pressure. Far too often the hosts won the 50-50 battles and having not played since February 11, Ryan Gravenberch looked way off the pace alongside Mac Allister, who was equally lethargic in the opening 45 minutes.
The back injury Florian Wirtz sustained in the warm-up admittedly forced Slot into a quick pre-match rethink but Curtis Jones didn't grasp his chance in midfield before Slot swapped him with Szoboszlai and he moved to the full-back role.
It would have been some feat not to have improved after the break but was a better second period that saw Stefan Ortega finally called into action, with the Forest goalkeeper making a superb save with his foot to deny Jones from Mohamed Salah's header across the six-yard box.
Salah's afternoon lasted 77 minutes, replaced by teenager Rio Ngumoha while wearing the sort of wry smile that projected faint embarrassment. It was an afternoon to forget for the Egyptian, whose last Premier League goal came on November 1.
After Mac Allister's initial goal was judged to have been scored by his elbow, the Argentina international popped up with another crucial intervention with seconds remaining after Ortega had saved Van Dijk's header. Cue pandemonium in the away end.
But it would be disingenuous to say this performance suggested Liverpool are ready to roar their way to the promised land of the Champions League. It was gritty and determined defensively but Forest are in the doldrums and carried more threat and energy than their visitors, despite having made a 3,250-mile round trip to Istanbul this week.
The Reds, in contrast, hadn't played for eight days, giving Slot the rare luxury of a full week to prepare his charges.
The fact that they still looked so bereft of fluency should be real cause for concern as the campaign narrows towards the home straight. Those inquests, however, can wait.
*FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page*