Mohamed Salah scores the winning goal for Liverpool, ending Nottingham Forest’s resistance

Liverpool secured a hard-fought victory against Nottingham Forest with a winning goal from Mohamed Salah. The game was a tough challenge for Liverpool, as Forest managed to equalize twice and even hit the bar in an almost successful attempt to level the score for a third time.

However, their weak defense against set-pieces cost them dearly, as Liverpool scored three goals from such situations. The result marked Jürgen Klopp’s 100th home league win as Liverpool manager, while Forest suffered their 11th successive game without a win.
Despite coming close to earning a precious point in their battle to avoid relegation, the visitors were left disappointed and apologetic to their travelling supporters.

Diogo Jota scored two goals, bringing his total for the week to four after going a year without scoring previously. Nottingham Forest managed to equalize twice, first through former Liverpool defender Neco Williams and then Morgan Gibbs-White. However, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scored from a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick to give his team the lead and joined Robbie Fowler as the sixth-highest scorer in Liverpool’s history.

Nottingham Forest had not played a league game at Anfield for nearly 25 years. Their enthusiastic fans paid tribute to the 97 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives due to gross negligence by South Yorkshire police at Hillsborough.
At 3:06 pm, the same time the FA Cup semi-final between the two teams was stopped in 1989, Forest fans displayed a large banner that read: “Respect the 97. Solidarity with Survivors. No To Tragedy Chanting.” Anfield responded with a warm round of applause.

The match started off slowly, with Liverpool dominating possession but struggling to break down Forest’s five-man defence. Forest’s Danilo was assigned to man-mark Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold in an attempt to limit his impact in midfield. However, Liverpool showed their prowess at set-pieces, with Forest’s marking and awareness looking shaky. Liverpool had several chances, including a deflected flick from Konaté and a goal-bound header from Van Dijk, both from Alexander-Arnold free-kicks.

Williams also cleared off the line after Gakpo’s header from an Alexander-Arnold corner. Jota missed a good chance when he headed wide from close range. The second half was a different story, with Jota scoring twice and Forest equalising twice through Williams and Gibbs-White, before Salah’s free-kick secured the win for Liverpool. Forest’s defence was undone by Liverpool’s set-pieces, which proved decisive in the match.

Nottingham Forest’s defensive mistakes cost them dearly in their match against Liverpool at Anfield. Despite twice equalizing through Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White, Forest were ultimately defeated by Liverpool after conceding three set-piece goals. Diogo Jota scored twice, while Mohamed Salah scored the winner from a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick to join Robbie Fowler in sixth place on Liverpool’s all-time goalscorers’ chart.

Liverpool dominated possession in the first half, but struggled to penetrate Forest’s five-man defence. However, Liverpool’s prowess at set-pieces was evident, with Konaté and Van Dijk both coming close to scoring. Jota missed an opportunity to score in the first half but made up for it by scoring twice in the second half. Forest’s defence was caught napping when Jota scored his second goal, left unmarked on the penalty spot to score from a Robertson free-kick. Forest appealed for an offside, but their protests were in vain. While Forest did manage to equalize, their defensive lapses ultimately cost them the match.