Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: Mac Allister’s 97th‑Minute 'Heist' Boosts Champions League Hopes

In a dramatic finish at the City Ground, Alexis Mac Allister struck in the 97th minute to secure a 1-0 win for Liverpool in Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool, a result that leaves Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United and keeps their Champions League ambitions alive. The late goal and its surrounding controversy have left Nottingham Forest's new manager Vítor Pereira visibly upset and sparked widespread reaction.

Nottm Forest Vs Liverpool: Last‑gasp Alexis Mac Allister strike

Mac Allister finished from close range in the 97th minute after a scramble in the Forest six-yard box to hand Liverpool a stoppage‑time victory. The winner followed a chaotic sequence in the final minutes: Stefan Ortega first saved a Hugo Ekitiké header from a Rio Ngumoha cross, Ola Aina’s attempted clearance struck Mac Allister and was ruled out for handball by VAR, and play resumed into extended added time. Dominik Szoboszlai supplied the decisive cross, Virgil van Dijk headed across goal and — after Murillo could only divert the ball — Mac Allister hammered it home.

Virgil van Dijk on process and clean sheets

Captain Virgil van Dijk said the team must "keep going" to reach their highest level after the match, noting Liverpool had managed three consecutive victories and clean sheets. He acknowledged a poor first half but praised the squad’s reaction in the second half, pointing to improved ball retention, better rotation in midfield, and moments of bravery on the ball. He singled out long throws from Joe Gomez and the quality of Szoboszlai’s delivery as key elements in the closing sequence that produced the goal.

Vítor Pereira and Nottingham Forest reaction

Forest boss Vítor Pereira, in his first league game in charge, described his feelings as being "angry with football" after a result he felt his side did not deserve. Slot — the Liverpool manager — and the visiting players left to jubilant away supporters while the Forest fans were left stunned, with home players such as Neco Williams lying on the turf in disbelief. Forest had named an unchanged side after a midweek 3-0 win at Fenerbahce and returned from that trip on Friday, but their performance was praised as promising even though Slot and others felt Liverpool ultimately benefited from fortune.

VAR intervention by Paul Tierney and disallowed Mac Allister goal

Earlier in stoppage time, Paul Tierney, the video assistant referee, was involved in a check that disallowed a Mac Allister strike on handball grounds and extended the added time to at least five minutes. Mac Allister said the ball hit his back and elbow and accepted the rule while insisting that, from a football perspective, the goal should have stood. The disallowed effort and subsequent VAR involvement intensified the closing moments and set the scene for the eventual winner.

Match pattern: Forest pressure, Liverpool resilience and slot’s record

For long stretches Forest dominated, with Liverpool described as dull for much of the match and struggling in the first half — a period Slot later called the worst half of his tenure, noting Forest registered just two shots, one blocked and one off target, and had only three touches in the opposition box during that spell. Slot also acknowledged an emotional relief at the end, saying Liverpool got "more than we deserved" and that a draw would have been fairer. Before this game, Slot had failed to beat Nottingham Forest in each of his previous three attempts as Liverpool manager.

League implications: points and rivals

The victory moved Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United, tightening the race for the top‑four places. Chelsea had stumbled to a draw against Burnley, and Manchester United were scheduled to visit Everton on Monday. What makes this notable is the swing in the table created by a single late event: a last‑gasp goal not only changed the result at the City Ground but also adjusted the immediate landscape of the Premier League's top‑four chase.

Reactions flowed beyond club circles: pundit Jamie Carragher described the ending as "one of the biggest robberies" seen in the competition this season, while Slot and players acknowledged both the quality and the luck involved. The win leaves Liverpool with momentum and three successive clean sheets, while Forest will regroup after a display that many felt merited at least a point.