Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: Mac Allister’s 97th-minute winner and VAR drama boost Liverpool's top-four hopes
Alexis Mac Allister scored a 97th-minute winner as Liverpool snatched a 1-0 victory at the City Ground in a match defined by a disallowed goal, two VAR reviews and fierce post-match reaction. The result matters now because it moved Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United and injected fresh momentum into the club's Champions League chase.
Alexis Mac Allister’s 97th-minute strike
As stoppage time stretched, Mac Allister finished from close range after a late delivery into the box to award Liverpool the decisive goal. The sequence followed a long throw reworked by Joe Gomez to Dominik Szoboszlai, who beat Nicolás Domínguez around 30 yards from goal and supplied a right-footed cross. Virgil van Dijk nodded the ball across goal, Murillo attempted to hook it away, and Mac Allister hammered home the loose ball to complete the comeback.
VAR and Referee Anthony Taylor: overturned goal then marginal offside check
The match featured two key video assistant referee interventions. Early in the closing stages, Stefan Ortega had diverted Hugo Ekitiké’s header from Rio Ngumoha’s cross, and Ola Aina’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Mac Allister and into the net. VAR official Paul Tierney reviewed the incident and the referee, Anthony Taylor, overturned the decision, announcing: "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 explanation noted the deflection struck part of Mac Allister’s arm with the tolerance at the sleeve level, and the intervention was judged correct under the law that a goal cannot stand if the arm or hand is involved, even accidentally.
Later, when Mac Allister finished the 97th-minute move, Tierney again checked for offside on Virgil van Dijk. Semi-automated technology showed van Dijk was marginally onside and the goal was allowed to stand after a relatively quick review.
Arne Slot: resilience and a change in fortune for Liverpool
Manager Arne Slot described a mix of happiness and relief after the win, noting it was the first time he had to conduct a different post-match press conference. Slot accepted Liverpool had not played well for large parts, saying the team had been on the wrong side of results after good performances in the past and that the result was more than they deserved. He also called the first half the worst of his tenure but pointed to the team’s ability to improve after poor starts, citing previous second-half recoveries.
Vítor Pereira, Nottingham Forest and the mood at the City Ground
Nottingham Forest boss Vítor Pereira said he was "angry with football" after the defeat and was left numb by the late turnaround. Forest had dominated for long stretches, prompting home supporters to chant "In your head, Arne, Arne, Arne" to the tune of Zombie by The Cranberries. The visitors’ celebration contrasted with scenes of Forest players and staff stunned on the turf — Neco Williams was seen lying on the grass as the away dugout emptied into the technical area and Liverpool’s travelling support celebrated wildly.
Pereira had named an unchanged side following a 3-0 win at Fenerbahce on Thursday, despite not returning from Turkey until Friday afternoon. That momentum and freshness were offered as explanations for Forest's strong performance, while Liverpool unusual lethargy was linked to an earlier long trip the team had undertaken; Liverpool's last match had been eight days earlier.
Broader impact: points, punditry and officiating
The victory left Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United; Chelsea had drawn with Burnley and Manchester United were set to visit Everton on Monday. Pundit Jamie Carragher described the outcome as "one of the biggest robberies I've seen in the Premier League this season, " encapsulating the controversy surrounding the overturned goal and the late winner. Former referee Andy Davies and other analysts reviewed the VAR interventions, concluding the handball overturn was correct under the laws, while the offside check was validated by semi-automated technology showing a marginal onside call.
What makes this notable is how a combination of tight officiating decisions and a frantic final minute shifted the result: an overturned strike VAR removed an earlier lead, but a later review allowed a marginally onside contribution to stand, directly producing the 97th-minute winner that altered the league table.
Additional perspectives came from players: Mac Allister said the ball hit his back and elbow and that he understood the rule but believed the first goal should have stood; he also acknowledged the team were better in the second half. The match left clear consequences on standings, strong criticism from observers and fresh questions about late-match VAR interventions in high-stakes encounters.
