Diogo Jota grabbed a point for Liverpool with his first touch of the game but it was Matz Sels, the Forest goalkeeper, who was the difference maker in this 1-1 draw. In making three top second half saves, as Liverpool relentlessly pushed for the winner, he epitomised the desire of his team, who gave no quarter against the league leaders.
Liverpool, slow out of the blocks once again, fell behind early on. Chris Woods finding the corner of the net with his side’s first attack. From that moment on, this was always going to be a difficult match for Liverpool to win. Forest fought for every inch, disrupted we Liverpool at every opportunity and, with a referee reluctant to do too much to upset the home crowd, Slot’s men found it difficult to find any real rhythm.
Having picked his strongest possible eleven, Arne Slot surely hoped for more, but it took until the second half before his players took charge of the game. Both Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo found more space and saw more of the ball, whilst Dominik Szoboszlai, far too easily brushed off the ball in the first half, began to dictate play. However, Luis Diaz, playing through the middle, continued to struggle, having wasted a glorious chance on the counter-attack towards the final minutes of the first half.
The second half got under way with Liverpool in total command, Forest getting ever deeper. However, you don’t reach their league position without being solid, robust, well organised, and they worked tirelessly to restrict the space for Liverpool to produce a telling pass. Slot needed to make changes and, just after the hour, it was one such substitute, Diogo Jota, with his first touch, who drew his side level. A corner by Kostas Tskimikas, who’d replaced the worryingly out-of-form Andy Robertson, nodded in at the far post.
For the final thirty minutes, Forest’s penalty box resembled the Alamo. When Liverpool did finally peirce the defensive wall, it was Selz who invariably stood in their way. Even when he was beaten for the second time, a goal-line clearance came to his rescue. The second goal that at times seemed inevitable for Liverpool just wouldn’t come, whilst they had to be ever watchful for a quick Forest break.
The final opportunity for a Liverpool winner came in the 96th minute. Yet, inexplicably, rather than allow Trent to shoot from a free-kick just outside the penalty box, a floated cross which failed to trouble the home side was taken.
So Liverpool remain top of the league, while Nottingham Forest look well set to continue to maintain their place in the top four. Of course, they also remain the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the league this season. Other top sides will also no doubt find it difficult at the City Ground, and Slot’s Liverpool will probably be very pleased not to have to face them again this season.
