Mac Allister’s Late Strike Sinks Forest in Relegation Six-Pointer

Liverpool edged a tense encounter at the City Ground 1-0 thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s dramatic 97th-minute winner, dealing a crushing blow to Nottingham Forest’s survival hopes.

The Argentine midfielder struck deep into stoppage time to secure three precious points for the Reds, who moved further clear of the relegation scrap with their sixth-place position now looking increasingly secure on 45 points. For Forest, languishing in 17th with just 27 points from 27 matches, this felt like a golden opportunity squandered.

Vitor Pereira’s side dominated the shot count 18-10 and created the better chances throughout a cagey affair, but their profligacy in front of goal proved costly once again. The hosts managed just two efforts on target despite firing 11 shots from outside the box, epitomising their struggles to convert territorial dominance into clear-cut opportunities.

Drama and Controversy

The match exploded into life in the final 10 minutes. Mac Allister thought he had broken the deadlock in the 90th minute, only to see his effort chalked off by VAR for handball. But the Liverpool midfielder wouldn’t be denied, converting at the death to snatch victory from the jaws of what had seemed certain to be a goalless draw.

The statistics painted a picture of two evenly-matched sides. Liverpool edged possession 53-47% and marginally outperformed Forest on expected goals (1.76 to 1.26), but the hosts’ aggressive approach was evident in their 13 fouls compared to Liverpool’s nine. Morgan Gibbs-White and Ola Aina both collected yellow cards as Forest’s frustration mounted.

Tactical Shifts

Both managers rang the changes in search of a breakthrough, with Forest making five substitutions to Liverpool’s four. The introduction of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Omari Hutchinson on 66 minutes briefly lifted the hosts, but Liverpool’s class ultimately told.

This result leaves Forest just four points above the relegation zone with their survival fight intensifying by the week.