Despite a 97th-minute winner for Liverpool, there were still a host of positives for Nottingham Forest to take from the 1-0 defeat.
With Fenerbahce on the horizon in the second leg of the Europa League play-off round, Forest will get an immediate chance to shake themselves down after the late smash-and-grab from the reigning champions.
Who was your Nottingham Forest Man of the Match vs Liverpool?
Fans are going stir crazy at the moment, worrying about the club’s threat of relegation and a couple of wins from somewhere would change the landscape considerably.
Alexis Mac Allister’s late winner at the City Ground has increased the anxiety levels and, after rewatching the match, has given us the opportunity to pick up three things that slipped under the radar.
This game did come on the back of a brilliant 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in Istanbul, but Liverpool were always going to provide a sterner test.
Forest didn’t look fazed though, and Forest looked up to the assignment of trying to make life difficult for the team, who are, for now, considered the champions.
Nottingham Forest striker Igor Jesus in action vs Liverpool.
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
The Reds had an identity once again, and despite the late goal from Mac Allister, Forest have to take this level of performance and the amount of desire into future games against lesser sides.
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Players looked happy throughout the contest, and that was good to see following a disjointed nature to the 0-0 draw with Wolves recently.
Jesus has to do better in the final third
Although Jesus’ form has been fantastic in the Europa League, his two goals from 25 games in the Premier League are a huge cause for concern.
This was highlighted with a good chance in the first half, but his inability to think quickly and improvise allowed Virgil van Dijk to make a solid interception.
When put through in a tight space, Jesus needed to take a touch to move the ball away from Van Dijk and give himself an extra few seconds to get a shot away.
Jesus has been thrown in at the deep end in his maiden Premier League campaign, but he’s got to improve; he’s going to be the club’s number one striker next season should the Reds stay up.
Stefan Ortega will prove to be a brilliant signing
Given that he cost less than £1 million, Forest might have struck gold with the addition of Ortega from Manchester City.
In the stadium from the other end of his second-half heroics, it was hard to grasp just how good his saves were, but watching back, they were brilliant.
Quite how he kept out Hugo Ekitike’s effort in the build-up to Mac Allister’s first goal, which was disallowed, is a mystery and proved the stopper’s quality.
Ortega was a bit unlucky with Van Dijk’s header that led to the winning goal, whilst his distribution and commanding of his box were also noticeable traits from this contest.
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