Liverpool secures a vital victory at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground despite a sloppy and uninspiring performance. The Reds triumphed through Alexis Mac Allister’s match-winning moments, marking their third consecutive win without conceding.
Mac Allister netted the decisive goal but acknowledged the team’s shortcomings: ‘I love scoring, I love winning, but I don’t think we played very well.’
This gritty win contrasts with Arne Slot’s frequent complaints of strong play yielding dropped points. Now, Liverpool eyes a top-four push and aims to build momentum from this undeserved triumph, echoing a dramatic 99th-minute Darwin Nunez winner here nearly two years ago that failed to spark a sustained run.
Poor First Halves Continue to Haunt Liverpool
Liverpool fails to register a shot on target until the 54th minute, the eighth such occurrence this season in the opening 45 minutes. Nottingham Forest unleashes 12 shots before halftime—the most Liverpool concedes in any Premier League first half since a 2015 thrashing at Stoke City.
A sharper striker than Igor Jesus could have punished the Reds. Slot addresses the team at halftime: ‘The first-half was really poor, the worst we have played until now I think but the second-half was much better.’ The improvement proves enough, though Forest deserves at least a point.
Rio Ngumoha Deserves Premier League Start
The 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha enters from the bench and delivers instant impact, sparking Mac Allister’s initial goal—later disallowed. Defenders panic and retreat under his electric pace and potential.
Slot hesitates due to Ngumoha’s youth and physical demands but praises him: ‘He has incredible potential, otherwise, at 17 years of age, you don’t play as many minutes as he does in the Premier League, let alone at Liverpool… I don’t think there is any other 17-year-old who has played as many minutes in the Premier League as he has.’
Recent form from wingers Cody Gakpo (two league goals since mid-October) and Mohamed Salah (last league goal November 1) underscores Ngumoha’s fresh threat. His 2026 cameos demand a first Premier League start.
Florian Wirtz Set for Quick Return
Creativity suffers without Florian Wirtz, who withdraws pre-match with back discomfort. Slot expects his return for Saturday’s home clash against West Ham: ‘We don’t think it is very serious. He felt his back too much during the warm-up to start. He wasn’t able to be 100 per cent or close to 100 per cent. I think after being in this league for six, seven or eight months that no matter how good you are on the ball, you need to be 100 per cent at this level. So we decided not to play him but hope and expect him to be with us next week.’
Mental Resilience Proves Key
Liverpool demonstrates growth in mentality. Two months ago, they crumble late; here, they withstand Forest’s resurgence after the disallowed goal, silencing the roaring City Ground and clinching victory. This resilience offers a strong foundation for future success.
