Alexis Mac Allister Injury-Time Winner Decides Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool After VAR Overturn

Alexis Mac Allister scored an injury‑time winner as Liverpool clinched a 1-0 victory at the City Ground in a game defined by late VAR intervention and a previously overturned strike in stoppage time in the nottm forest vs liverpool fixture. The result matters now because it preserved vital points for Liverpool as they press for a Champions League place while prompting debate over officiating and semi-automated offside checks.

Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: VAR reviews at 90 and 97 minutes

The match featured two decisive reviews in stoppage time. At 90 minutes a goal for Liverpool was ruled out after a VAR review determined the ball had struck Alexis Mac Allister's arm when Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina attempted to clear; referee Anthony Taylor announced, "After review, the ball hits the arm of the goal scorer, Liverpool No. 10 [Mac Allister]. Therefore, it's an accidental handball by the goal scorer, so the final decision is a direct free kick. " The VAR on duty was Paul Tierney, and the review noted a tolerance level at the sleeve when identifying the contact.

At 97 minutes Mac Allister smashed a rebound into the net, but that finish also triggered a VAR offside check on Virgil van Dijk as the cross was delivered; semi-automated offside technology showed Van Dijk was marginally onside and Taylor allowed the goal to stand, leaving Liverpool with a 1-0 victory.

Anthony Taylor, Paul Tierney and expert analysis from Andy Davies

The officials in the match were referee Anthony Taylor and VAR Paul Tierney. Former Select Group referee Andy Davies, who has over 12 seasons on the elite list and experience operating within the VAR space in the Premier League, is among those explaining how the protocols were applied. Specialist commentary concluded the initial overturn was correct within the Laws of the Game—because a goal cannot be scored using hand or arm even when the contact is accidental—while the later offside check was a very tight call that ultimately placed Van Dijk marginally onside.

Alexis Mac Allister: reaction and match aftermath

Mac Allister expressed mixed feelings after the game. He said he loved scoring and winning but felt Liverpool had not played well, adding that the ruled‑out strike had hit his elbow and that he thought that decision was "a bit harsh" though he understood the rules. He also said he had told Hugo the goal would come and was glad it did, and stressed the squad must analyse both what went right and what went wrong, noting a lack of intensity at times. Mac Allister referenced Florian as an important player and acknowledged a different shape had been tried that did not work, concluding that the team needs points to qualify for the Champions League and that it was time to rest and prepare for the next match.

What makes this notable is how the overturned goal and the subsequent allowed strike within the same stoppage period encapsulated both the razor‑edge accuracy VAR seeks and the emotional rollercoaster for players and fans.

Liverpool team changes, line-up and squad movements

Liverpool made two changes for the fixture at Nottingham Forest: Hugo Ekitike was restored in attack and Ryan Gravenberch returned to midfield. Federico Chiesa and Florian Wirtz were omitted from the starting eleven that had begun last weekend's victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Wirtz had originally been named in the starting XI at the City Ground but was replaced by Curtis Jones before kick‑off and subsequently withdrew from the matchday squad; as a result Freddie Woodman was added to the bench in his place.

The Liverpool starting lineup was listed as Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Gakpo, Ekitike and Gravenberch. The substitutes named included Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison and Ngumoha.

Broader Premier League context and pundit reaction

Commentary around the league on the same day included Crystal Palace's Guessand scoring a late winner against 10‑man Wolves, and Iwobi scoring Fulham's third at Sunderland. Tottenham were set to host Arsenal in the north London derby at 16: 30. On air pundits reflected on Liverpool's late victory: Matt Jarvis said Palace had got lucky in their game and assessed other matches' dynamics, while Pat Nevin described the finish at the City Ground as "a mad finish" and questioned whether Liverpool had deserved the win over the course of the match but noted top teams can turn games late.

Broad commentary on Liverpool included a short video piece in which Don Hutchison reflected on Mohamed Salah's performance in the late 1-0 win, a clip timed at 0: 57. Analysts reiterated that VAR decisions are made within a specific protocol and that, in this case, the interventions produced an overturned goal at 90 minutes and an allowed winner after a marginal offside check at 97 minutes.