After coming off the bench, Darwin Nunez scored a thrilling goal in the 99th minute to give Liverpool a four-point lead over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Playing his first game since sustaining a muscle injury at Brentford on February 17, Nunez found the bottom corner with a glancing header from Alexis Mac Allister’s cross as the game drew closer to the eight extra minutes signaled by the fourth official. This caused chaos on the Liverpool bench and in the stands.
When the final whistle blew, Forest players surround referee Paul Tierney, while flares were lit in the away end and Jurgen Klopp and his men celebrated loudly.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
They were incensed with the decision to give Liverpool the ball after Ibrahima Konate suffered a head injury just prior to the goal, and coach Steven Reid was sent out.
When the game was interrupted, Forest was in control. However, when it resumed, the ball was in the hands of Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. The opposition retained the ball, ran to the other end, and eventually found the winner.
Liverpool won their first league game at the City Ground since 1984, and it guarantees that they will top the standings going into their pivotal meeting against Manchester City on Sunday.
With championship rivals City and Arsenal yet to play this weekend, and the game tied at zero goals going into the final seconds, Klopp’s team was in danger of dropping to third place by Monday night before Nunez’s last-minute intervention.
With one more game to go and the financial breach case still pending, Forest’s defeat drops them to just four points behind Luton Town in the final relegation spot.
Anthony Elanga was sent clean through by Divock Origi, a former Liverpool forward, but Kelleher’s extended left leg denied the attacker, giving Forest the finest chance of a dull first half.
Following halftime, Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz had good looks for Liverpool, and then Elanga’s first-time effort fizzled wide after a beautiful Forest move.
Clear opportunities did not materialise for the away team as they continued to press for a winner at the other end, but Liverpool persisted and were rewarded well into stoppage time when Nunez hit the net with skill.
