Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool — Mac Allister’s 97th‑Minute Winner Feels Like a Heist and Shifts Immediate Stakes

The result from the City Ground matters because it rewrites who feels the pressure next: Liverpool leave with three points that move them level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United, while Nottingham Forest remain only two points clear of the drop zone. In the contest labelled a "heist" by some, emotions boiled over—Forest’s boss said he was angry with football—and Alexis Mac Allister’s 97th‑minute strike proved decisive in a game defined by late VAR intervention and pre‑kickoff disruption.

Who feels the impact first: top‑four momentum for Liverpool, survival alarm for Forest

Here’s the part that matters: Liverpool’s stoppage‑time win is more than a single result. It pushed them to parity with Chelsea and Manchester United in the table, tightening the scramble for the Champions League places. For Nottingham Forest, the performance suggested form that should yield points, yet the outcome left their manager venting frustration and the club hovering only two points above the relegation zone.

It’s easy to overlook, but the match also carried managerial subplots: Arne Slot had failed to beat Forest in each of his previous three attempts as Liverpool boss before this game, and Vitor Pereira was taking charge of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League for the first time and had been aiming to avoid a defeat in his opening top‑flight match in charge — a feat not achieved by a Forest manager on debut since Dave Bassett in 1997.

Match snapshot — Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: decisive moments and drama

Final score: Nottingham Forest 0–1 Liverpool. Alexis Mac Allister’s winner arrived in the 97th minute, but the game produced two late VAR episodes. Earlier, Mac Allister had a goal ruled out when a clearance from Ola Aina ricocheted off him after Stefan Ortega had made a save from Hugo Ekitike; that effort was overturned for handball in the buildup. Late on, Mac Allister capitalised on a loose ball to score from close range and the goal stood after a VAR check cleared Virgil van Dijk as marginally onside.

Fans on both sides added to the atmosphere. Home supporters chanted "In your head, Arne, Arne, Arne" to the tune of Zombie by The Cranberries as Pereira’s side dominated for long periods; the same chant was later heard from the travelling supporters in disbelief as Liverpool celebrated the stoppage‑time winner.

VAR and refereeing sequence: overturned goal, handball rule, offside check

The disallowed goal followed a clearance by Ola Aina that rebounded off Alexis Mac Allister into the net after Stefan Ortega had made a save from Hugo Ekitike. On VAR review the referee overturned the original goal decision, concluding the ball hit the scorer's arm and that an accidental handball requires a direct free kick rather than a goal. Later, a VAR check examined Virgil van Dijk’s position when a cross arrived; semi‑automated technology showed van Dijk to be marginally onside, so the 97th‑minute finish was allowed to stand. Independent refereeing commentary present in match coverage assessed the handball overturn as correct under the rule that a goal cannot be scored by the use of hand or arm even if accidental.

• Referee team noted in match detail: Anthony Taylor (referee) and Paul Tierney (VAR).
• Expert commentary on the VAR protocol and decisions was provided by a former elite‑level referee with direct VAR experience.

Line‑ups, ratings and key tactical notes

Both starting XI lists and substitute ratings were published after the match; Player of the Match was Ibrahim Sangare.

• Nottingham Forest (ratings): Ortega, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs‑White, Hudson‑Odoi, Igor Jesus, Hutchinson. Subs: Ndoye, Bakwa, Dominguez, Lucca, McAtee (n/a).
• Liverpool (ratings): Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo. Subs: Ngumoha, Chiesa, Gomez (n/a), Robertson (n/a).

On tactics, Forest dominated large parts of the first half—creating 12 of 14 first‑half shots—and featured a midfield performance that one analyst described as domination; Ibrahim Sangare was singled out for control in midfield. Liverpool struggled initially and were said to have been "monstered physically" in the early stages; the loss of Florian Wirtz to injury before kick‑off was noted as an early disruption to Liverpool’s preparations. Curtis Jones was moved into a No. 10 role before switching positions with Dominik Szoboszlai after around half an hour, an experiment that was curtailed.

What’s easy to miss is how narrow margins decided the day: a disallowed strike, a marginal offside check, and a late loose ball combined to produce a single‑goal swing that carries disproportionate consequences for both clubs.

• Mac Allister had an earlier effort overturned for handball after an Ortega save and an Ola Aina clearance that deflected into the net.
• Mac Allister then scored in stoppage time (97th minute) to secure the 1–0 win.
• Liverpool move level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United; they sit six points behind Aston Villa in third.
• Nottingham Forest remain two points clear of the relegation zone.

The real question now is how both teams respond: Liverpool need to convert momentum into consistent results to close the gap on the top three, while Forest must reconcile a dominant performance with a loss and guard against the psychological impact of a late reversal. Recent context also showed Pereira had selected the same lineup that had won away to Fenerbahce on Thursday as he sought a successful Premier League debut, an outcome that narrowly eluded him.