Carnage would be an understatement to describe the closing moments of Liverpool’s victory at the City Ground, but it would not be over the top to call the win a heist – one that puts Arne Slot’s side firmly in the Champions League hunt.
The fact that Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira said he was “angry with football” summed it up. Forest did not deserve to lose.
For large parts of the afternoon, the home fans chanted “In your head, Arne, Arne, Arne” to the tune of Zombie by The Cranberries as Pereira’s side dominated the defending champions.
Before today, Slot had failed to beat Forest in any of his previous three attempts as Liverpool boss.
Yet as the Liverpool players made their way to the away end after snatching a remarkable victory through Alexis Mac Allister, the same chant came from the travelling support, who could hardly believe their luck.
Liverpool were dull for most parts but deserve praise for their resilience and the importance of Mac Allister’s 97th-minute winner cannot be underestimated in the sense that it took Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United, in fourth and fifth.
“It’s one of the biggest robberies I’ve seen in the Premier League this season,” said Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.
For Slot, who has regularly insisted that Liverpool have been unfortunate on many an occasion this season, there was an admittance that his side had finally got the rub of the green.
“My emotions were emotions of happiness and relief because this is the first time I have to do a different post match press conference,” said Slot.
“We did not play a good game. We have been on the wrong side of the score after a good performance too many times.
“We got more than we deserved. A draw would have been a fair result,” he added. “We needed to be on the right side of things once in a while. It felt we have been lucky”.
And credit is due to Mac Allister too, who found himself in the right place at the right time on two instances late on.
The first was his disallowed goal that came after Stefan Ortega had made a great save to deny Hugo Ekitike. As Ola Aina tried to clear the ball, it hit Mac Allister and flew into the net. But what would have been a fortuitous goal was chalked off because the ball was deemed to have hit his elbow, which was tight to his body.
“It hit my back and my elbow. I understand the rule but if you understand football, that goal should have stood,” Mac Allister told BBC Sport.
“The first half wasn’t good at all; positioning, pressing, intensity. It was not our standard. The second half, I wouldn’t say it was good but it was better,” he added.
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