It was an exciting clash at the top end of the table last night at The City Ground. League leaders Liverpool came into this game with a point to prove and a hunger to set things right after their disappointing home defeat in the reverse fixture back in September—their only loss of the campaign. At the time, the result felt like a massive slip, one that would weigh on Arne Slot’s mind for weeks. But the context of last night’s clash was notably different: Liverpool faced a Nottingham Forest side on a six-game winning streak, sitting in third place, who had not conceded a goal for a month. With potential title race implications, the match lived up to its billing.
There would be nothing to split the two sides after a hard-fought 90 minutes, as they left with a point apiece. Forest delivered a defensive performance worthy of the occasion. Liverpool, much like in the September fixture, dominated with 70% possession and 23 attempts on goal but couldn’t overcome what might now be considered their bogey team.
Lineups
Arne Slot made just one change from the side fielded back in September, with Luis Diaz coming in for Diogo Jota, who has not been playing full 90s since returning from injury.
Forest made three changes from the reverse fixture, with former Liverpool man Neco Williams coming in for Alex Moreno and Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi unsurprisingly making up the wings this time out.
First half
The game’s direction was clear within the opening minutes. Forest sat into a low block and invited pressure. Liverpool kept possession of the ball and there were clear instructions from Slot to have a go from distance, but Sels was not put to work in the early stages.
1-0
It only took eight minutes, however, for Nuno’s men to show why they have been so successful this season after a scuffle on the halfway line involving Ibou Konate opened the door for a vintage Forest counter. The ball was fed into Anthony Elanga, who had his head on a swivel and exploited a lapse in concentration in Liverpool’s defence to put Chris Wood through for a straightforward but well-taken finish into the bottom corner The City Ground exploded and the early opener allowed Forest to double down on their tactics and put the onus on Liverpool.
As the half wore on, they became even more compact, inviting pressure but dealing with everything that came their way. Murillo and Milenkovic formed a brick wall to smother any ball that came into the box, helped by one of Elliot Anderson or Ryan Yates, who would drop in as a third centre-back. The closest we got to seeing a second goal was an ambitious yet venomous strike from distance courtesy of Murillo. Liverpool seemed to be waiting for an individual moment of magic with a lack of creativity a common and slightly concerning theme of their first-half play in recent weeks. Arne Slot’s animated sideline reactions embodied the side’s frustration, as he ensured to inform the officials of the time it was taking Forest to put the ball into play.
Second half
The second half began much the same as the first, with Liverpool keeping possession but failing to open up the staunch Nottingham Forest back-line. Throughout the first 45, Forest showed little interest in playing around Liverpool, instead opting to go long. After halftime, this approach intensified as they repeatedly launched the ball upfield, often aimlessly into touch. It was frustrating for the away side, who were playing with more energy but to no great avail.
1-1
It felt as though Liverpool would be the first to make an adjustment, and in the 65th minute, they did exactly that. Robertson made way for Tsimikas after another lukewarm performance and Diogo Jota came on for Konate. Slot has been praised repeatedly this season for his aptitude in identifying tactical tweaks and in this case, he did not have to wait long for justification. Tsimikas went straight to the corner flag where the ball was waiting for him, while Jota made a B-line for the 18-yard box. After a quick relaying of instructions from the sideline to Luis Diaz, he turned his head to see the ball from Tsimikas whipping towards the goal area, slid in between two Forest defenders, and remarkably nodded home after less than 30 seconds on the pitch. 1-1.
The game state shifted after the equaliser, with Liverpool showing much more fluidity and intent. There was a sharpness to the visitor’s play that had been missing for the first hour of play. Forest showed more urgency, pushing up a few yards to signal they wouldn’t be intimidated by Liverpool’s renewed energy. But this only allowed the Reds to find space that had not been there for most of the game.
It felt like Liverpool would have the final say, as they peppered the goal time after time, with Forest failing to register a shot for the rest of the game. Salah started to pose more danger, attempting to find his favoured top left corner on a few occasions. Jota also continued to make his presence felt, forcing a couple of quality saves out of Sels in the Forest goal.Credit to the home side, they kept Liverpool wary of the counter threat, though Van Dijk and Gravenberch—stepping in from midfield after Konate’s departure—handled any danger that came their way.The closest Liverpool came was from a late corner, which fell kindly to Salah, whose volley was cleared off the line by Ola Aina, in what was a textbook lesson in goal-line defending.
The deciding goal would not come. It was another hard-fought match between the two sides, and the shared points bumped Forest up to second in the table. Though Liverpool will be disappointed not to have grabbed the winner, they showed character to fight back into the game, and will not turn their nose up at a point away to their nearest contender.
Star performers
Nottingham Forest
Though Chris Wood took his only real chance excellently, the credit has to go to the valiant performance from the defenders. Forest’s No. 1, Matz Sels had a quiet first hour, but when called upon in the latter stages of the game, he produced the goods, featuring an outstanding save from Jota at point-blank range.
Liverpool academy product Neco Williams impressed once again, containing Salah for large parts of the game and running himself into the ground against his former club.
Murillo was the standout performer and my Player of the Match. The 22-year-old embodied Forest’s success this season, dominating in the air and snuffing out danger throughout. A crucial first-half interception on Luis Diaz kept Forest in control, and his £10 million fee now looks like a bargain. His partnership with Milenkovic is fast becoming one of the league’s best, cementing Murillo as a fan favorite.
Liverpool
A frustrating game for Liverpool saw many of their attackers struggle to get into a rhythm and create opportunities, but from the moment he came on, Diogo Jota was a threat. It’s no coincidence that Liverpool sprung to life when he entered the game.
At the opposite end, Ryan Gravenberch once again showed his level, winning possession in the midfield and joining the attack at times. When he was called upon to drop into centre-back after Konate left the pitch, he looked comfortable at the heart of the Liverpool defence.
The return of Dominik Szoboszlai to the starting lineup is a welcome one. His energy in the middle of the park is unmatched, and his running of the right channel in the second half gave Liverpool a significant attacking boost.
The Result
Another couple of points dropped for Liverpool is evidence of their recent dip in form, though taking a point from behind at The City Ground is no major failure. As of today, the Red’s sit six points clear at the top of the league. In his post-game press conference, Arne Slot seemed satisfied with his team’s performance, highlighting their defensive solidity and dominance in possession for most of the game. Results around the league were favourable, with both City and Chelsea dropping points, meaning Arsenal are the only side that can close the gap in this midweek bunch of fixtures. But Liverpool are undeniably experiencing a dip in form right now, and last night’s creative struggles, paired with a similar showing against United, will be noticed by teams around the league. The low block defensive scheme poses challenges for Slot’s side, and they will be hoping their next encounter with such a system will put those concerns to bed.
Nuno Espirito Santo is getting the absolute most out of a Forest squad that was flirting with relegation just last season. Their continued success against quality opposition validates their position in the table, and they should be extremely satisfied with their performance again this week. Chris Wood keeps doing Chris Wood things, and their defensive solidity is as strong as any in the Premier League. As we cross the halfway point of this season, it’s clear that this is not a ‘flash in the pan’ type situation. Their game management has been excellent, and there are no signs of them slowing down. Champions League football looks well within reach if Forest stay consistent, and while a Premier League title may be a stretch, nights like this will have some fans quietly wondering, ‘What if?’