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Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool: Darwin Nunez scores 99th-minute winner on return from injury

Darwin Nunez scores late winner for Liverpool at Nottingham Forest
Darwin Nunez’s header was the 22nd Premier League goal contribution from a Liverpool substitute this season

Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score a dramatic 99th-minute winner and send Liverpool four points clear at the top of the Premier League with victory at struggling Nottingham Forest.

As the game drifted past the eight added minutes announced by the fourth official, Nunez, playing his first game since suffering a muscle injury at Brentford on 17 February, found the bottom corner with a glancing header from Alexis Mac Allister’s cross, sparking bedlam on the Liverpool bench and in the stands.

While flares were lit in the away end and Jurgen Klopp celebrated wildly with his team, Forest players surrounded referee Paul Tierney at the final whistle.

Coach Steven Reid was shown a red card as they fumed at the decision to give Liverpool the ball after Ibrahima Konate went down with a head injury shortly before the goal.

Forest had possession when the game was stopped but the game restarted with the ball at the feet of Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and the away side kept the ball, went down the other end and eventually found the winner.

It was Liverpool’s first league win at the City Ground since 1984 and ensures that they will be top of the table heading into next Sunday’s crucial match against champions Manchester City.

With the game goalless heading into the final seconds, and title rivals City and Arsenal still to play this weekend, Klopp’s side faced the prospect of falling to third by Monday night before Nunez’s last-gasp intervention.

Defeat for Forest leaves them just four points above Luton Town in the final relegation place having played two games more and with the outcome of their financial breach case still to be decided.

Forest had the best chance of a forgettable first half when former Liverpool forward Divock Origi’s through ball sent Anthony Elanga clean through but the attacker was denied by the outstretched left leg of Kelleher.

Luis Diaz and Andy Robertson came close for Liverpool either side of half-time before Elanga’s first-time shot fizzed wide at the end of a flowing Forest move.

As the away side continued pushed for a winner at the other end, clear chances were not forthcoming, but Liverpool kept going and were rewarded deep into stoppage time as Nunez expertly found the net.

More to follow.

Player of the match

AwoniyiTaiwo Awoniyi

Nottingham Forest

  1. Squad number9Player nameAwoniyi

  2. Squad number27Player nameOrigi

  3. Squad number7Player nameN Williams

  4. Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White

  5. Squad number28Player nameDanilo

  6. Squad number40Player nameMurillo

  7. Squad number32Player nameOmobamidele

  8. Squad number21Player nameElanga

  9. Squad number14Player nameHudson-Odoi

  10. Squad number26Player nameSels

  11. Squad number15Player nameToffolo

  12. Squad number16Player nameDomínguez

  13. Squad number22Player nameYates

Line-ups

Nottm Forest

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 26Sels
  • 7N Williams
  • 32Omobamidele
  • 40Santiago Costa dos Santos
  • 15Toffolo
  • 16DomínguezSubstituted forDaniloat 79′minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 22Yates
  • 27OrigiSubstituted forAwoniyiat 65′minutes
  • 10Gibbs-WhiteBooked at 90mins
  • 14Hudson-Odoi
  • 21Elanga

Substitutes

  • 1Turner
  • 6Sangaré
  • 8Kouyaté
  • 9Awoniyi
  • 18Felipe
  • 19Niakhaté
  • 28Danilo
  • 37Duarte Ribeiro
  • 53Gardner

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

  • 62Kelleher
  • 84BradleySubstituted forTsimikasat 84′minutes
  • 5Konaté
  • 4van Dijk
  • 26RobertsonBooked at 59minsSubstituted forNúñezat 60′minutes
  • 10Mac Allister
  • 2Gomez
  • 42ClarkSubstituted forEndoat 60′minutes
  • 19ElliottSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 76′minutes
  • 18GakpoSubstituted forDannsat 84′minutesBooked at 85mins
  • 7Díaz

Substitutes

  • 3Endo
  • 8Szoboszlai
  • 9Núñez
  • 13Adrián
  • 21Tsimikas
  • 53McConnell
  • 67Koumas
  • 76Danns
  • 78Quansah

Referee:
Paul Tierney

Attendance:
29,603

Live Text



Source: BBC News

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