Nottingham Forest held league leaders Liverpool to a 1-1 draw as their superb season continued at The City Ground.
The hosts, who remain the only side to beat Arne Slot’s Reds in the Premier League this campaign, took the lead with their first attack after just eight minutes when Chris Wood raced onto an Anthony Elanga pass to fire home.
Liverpool would then go on to dominate possession but had little to show for their efforts until substitute Diogo Jota headed in fellow sub Kostas Tsimikas’s corner within seconds of both coming on.
Slot’s side pressed for a winner but were denied by two superb saves from Matz Sels to deny Jota and one from Salah, who also had an effort cleared off the line by Ola Aina. Here are the game’s main talking points.
The entire opening eight minutes had been played with Liverpool heading towards the Nottingham Forest goal, but then suddenly the pitch seemed to tilt the other way as the Midlands Red Arrows burst up the other end.
Counter-attacking has been one of the bedrocks of Forest’s excellent season, and they have developed into perhaps the best side in the division at it. Elanga’s pass into Wood’s path was perfect, and while the New Zealander still had a lot to do anyone who has seen him play this season would have been confident he could do it. It was stunning opening.
Having settled into the game before conceding it was as though the goal knocked Liverpool’s confidence, and suddenly for the remainder of the first half there was a real lack of quality when it came to creating chances and indeed chances to create chances.
As in the Manchester United draw it was all a bit rushed at times, often leading to overhit passes, crosses and shots, with efforts flying over Sels’ crossbar at will. Slot could be seen on the sidelines imploring his players to take their time, particularly Alexis Mac Allister, as his passing began to sum up the first half efforts. It looked as though nerves had set in.
Newcastle weren’t very happy at losing Elliot Anderson in the summer, and it has been obvious to see why from his Nottingham Forest performances.
The midfielder has been all-action, and just as impressive defensively as he has been going forward. Time and again he was the first head to a Liverpool set-piece to clear, and he was also often the first in the face of the visiting midfielders when they sought space. Liverpool were tentatively linked with a summer move for him recently and it is easy to see why, and he was the standout figure for Forest here along with the excellent Murillo and Sels.
There has surely never been a more immediately effective double substitution. On came Tsimikas and Jota, and 22 seconds later, with their first touches, the Greek crossed for the Portuguese to head home.
It was a brave change from Slot, who opted to take Ibrahima Konate off and move Ryan Gravenberch into defence, and it also indicated what many have felt for a while – the Reds are a much more effective side in attack when Jota plays as the No.9. Keeping him fit and firing has to be key for them going forward.
Dropped points for Liverpool then? Certainly. Especially with the way they dominated proceedings in the second half and laid siege to Sels’ goal, with the Forest goalkeeper making three excellent saves.
It is ultimately never the worst result to get a draw away to the team third in the Premier League, but it will heap pressure onto Liverpool’s trip to Brentford on Saturday where a win will be required if the title race lead is not to be slowly and worryingly eroded.
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