Darwin Nunez scored Liverpool’s latest ever winner in the Premier League as they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0
Heading into the City Ground, Liverpool were searching for their first league win at the stadium since 1984. Mind you, the Red Dogs haven’t exactly been a staple of the Premier League in the modern day.
Still ravaged with injuries, Jurgen Klopp continued to look to the youth. The 19-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark was handed a first Premier League start for the club as he started alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Joe Gomez in the centre of the park.
Divock Origi, Liverpool folklore legend, started up top for Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Another former Red, Neco Williams, started in defence for the hosts.
One of the first opportunities of the match fell to Origi, whose long-distance effort bobbled past the near post.
Soon after, Caoimhin Kelleher made a point-blank save to deny former Manchester United man Anthony Elanga. Nottingham Forest were proving dangerous to Liverpool’s rotated defence.
Bobby Clark’s curling effort from the edge of the box was one of the closest Liverpool would get to finding an opener in the first half, but his shot hit the roof of the net. Luis Diaz also saw his close range toe poke saved by defender Murillo.
The game was end-to-end in the second 45, with Andy Robertson having a fantastic opportunity to put the visitors ahead, but to only see his powerful, low effort past the far post and out.
Moments later, Elanga had another great chance to score on his left foot, but his shot went millimetres wide of the post. It could’ve been 2-2 in this contest, but the score remained goalless heading into eight additional minutes.
In the seventh minute of added time, a dropped-ball was given and controversially Liverpool had possession with the ball going back to Caoimhin Kelleher despite Nottingham Forest already being in possession.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was fuming with Paul Tierney’s decision, which he would have believed completely altered the momentum of the game.
Liverpool regained possession and after a series of corners resulting in nothing – one fell to Kostas Tsimikas, whose rifled effort fell to Alexis Mac Allister, who delivered a sumptuous floated ball into the six-yard box where substitute Darwin Nunez was waiting to pounce.
Nunez headed the ball into the back of the net and, in the ninth minute of eight (minimum) added minutes, Liverpool had won the match and nicked all three points from the City Ground.
It’s a monumental win for Klopp’s side, who initially went four points clear at the top of the Premier League table, before Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday.
Liverpool’s next challenge will be a trip to Prague in Czechia as they begin their ascent to more European glory, this time in the Europa League. Sparta Prague in the round of 16 is up next, with kick-off at 5.45pm on Thursday, 7 March.
Nottingham Forest team: Sels, Williams, Omobamidele, Murillo, Toffolo, Dominguez (Danilo 79), Yates, Origi (Awoniyi 65), Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga.
Liverpool team: Kelleher, Bradley (Tsimikas 84), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson (Nunez 60), Mac Allister, Gomez, Clark (Endo 60), Elliott (Szoboszlai 76), Gakpo (Danns 84), Diaz.
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