Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool — nottm forest vs liverpool decided by Mac Allister’s 97th-minute heist

Alexis Mac Allister’s 97th-minute strike secured a dramatic result in nottm forest vs liverpool, a win that boosts Arne Slot’s side in the Champions League hunt and left Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira saying he was "angry with football. " The late goal left Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United and sparked raw scenes at the City Ground.

How the disallowed goal and VAR drama set the stage

Late in the game Alexis Mac Allister thought he had given Liverpool the lead when Ola Aina’s attempted clearance struck Mac Allister and flew into the net, but the goal was ruled out for handball after a VAR review. Stefan Ortega had earlier palmed away a header from Hugo Ekitike from a Rio Ngumoha cross before Aina’s clearance struck Mac Allister; the disallowed goal was chalked off because the ball was deemed to have hit his elbow, which was held tight to his body. Mac Allister said, "It hit my back and my elbow. I understand the rule but if you understand football, that goal should have stood. " The VAR intervention extended at least five minutes of added time.

Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: the stoppage-time sequence that sealed it

In the 97th minute Liverpool reset and carved their decisive chance. Joe Gomez, a late substitute, opted not to take a long throw and instead found Dominik Szoboszlai infield. Szoboszlai, with Nicolás Domínguez closing him down about 30 yards from goal, jinked left then right to create an angle for a right-footed cross. Virgil van Dijk headed the ball across goal; Murillo, facing his own net, hooked it away and Mac Allister was on hand to hammer the loose ball in from close range. A second VAR check cleared Van Dijk of offside, to the relief of Slot and the agony of Forest.

Managers, players and reactions after the late winner

Vitor Pereira said he was "angry with football" and that Forest did not deserve to lose. The result left him visibly numb in his first league game in charge, having named an unchanged team after their midweek 3-0 win at Fenerbahce and not returning from Turkey until Friday afternoon. Arne Slot admitted mixed emotions, saying he felt "happiness and relief" and that Liverpool "got more than we deserved, " adding that a draw would have been a fairer result. Slot also acknowledged the team have been "on the wrong side of the score after a good performance too many times. "

Player assessments: Van Dijk, Mac Allister and the defensive record

Virgil van Dijk framed the victory as part of a process, urging the side to "keep going" to reach their highest level and noting that the team remain imperfect. Van Dijk pointed to a poor first half but said the team were better in the second half, praising long throws from Joey Gomez and a quality ball from Dominik Szoboszlai that helped fashion the winner. The result was Liverpool’s third straight victory and their third consecutive clean sheet. Mac Allister described the first half as "not good at all; positioning, pressing, intensity" while saying the second half was better.

Atmosphere, statistics and the immediate standings impact

The home crowd had chanted "In your head, Arne, Arne, Arne" to the tune of "Zombie" by The Cranberries as Pereira’s side dominated large parts of the match, and the visiting support matched the chant after the late winner. For long stretches Liverpool were described as dull, yet praise was given for their resilience. Jamie Carragher called it "one of the biggest robberies I've seen in the Premier League this season. " Neco Williams was left on the turf as Liverpool celebrated, the away dugout emptied into the technical area and visiting supporters went ballistic.

The victory moved Slot’s side level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United; Chelsea had stumbled to a draw with Burnley and Manchester United were due to visit Everton on Monday. The match figures underlined Liverpool’s struggles early in the game: Slot’s side had an abysmal first half, registering two shots — one blocked and one off target — and only three touches in the opposition box, which Slot described as the worst half of his tenure. Forest had backed up their midweek success in Istanbul with a promising performance here, making the late loss all the more bitter for Pereira’s team.