Nottingham Forest Liverpool Late Winner Sparks Pereira Frustration After 97th-minute Loss

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Nottingham Forest left the City Ground with nothing after Liverpool snatched a 97th-minute winner from Alexis Mac Allister, despite long periods of control from the hosts. The late strike settled a tense Premier League meeting, denied Forest a valuable point, and extended Liverpool’s push near the top, while Forest stayed close to the relegation places.

The defeat meant Forest stayed just two points above the relegation zone, missing a chance to gain vital breathing space. A victory would have moved Forest above Tottenham in the table, but that opportunity slipped away in stoppage time. The result added pressure on Vitor Pereira’s new spell in charge, with Forest needing results over the coming weeks.

Pereira shared clear disappointment after the match, stressing how Forest had controlled long spells. Forest created most of their danger before the interval but could not capitalise on early momentum. Liverpool grew stronger after the break and pushed Forest deeper, which left the hosts defending more crosses and set pieces as fatigue became more obvious late on.

"We are very frustrated. The way we played the first half was by creating chances and not conceding anything, Pereira told BBC Sport. It was a fantastic first half. We know the second half could be difficult because we played three days ago and travelled four hours. We didn't press properly. They won the game. In my opinion, one point was the minimum. Zero points is not fair."

Forest’s early attacking intent showed in the shot numbers, with 12 of their 18 attempts coming before half-time. That first-half tally matched Stoke City’s 12 shots against Liverpool in May 2015, the last time a team produced so many efforts before the break in a Premier League game against Liverpool. Stoke led 5-0 at the interval that day, unlike Forest here.

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While Forest failed to seriously test Alisson after the break, Liverpool increased control and territory. Mac Allister thought a winner had arrived in the 89th minute, but that effort was ruled out for handball. The midfielder eventually decided the match deep into stoppage time, leaving Forest players on the pitch stunned after their intense defensive effort.

Pereira also highlighted one key defensive lapse at the set piece that led to the late goal. "Inside the pitch, we must put the tallest guys where their tallest guys are. That must happen inside the pitch. We didn't. We lost the game in a small detail, but we know we need to correct these kinds of things. It's a pity. The supporters were with us until the last minute, and they recognised we deserved more than this, but that is football. We need to prepare ourselves mentally and tactically for the next game. The team has talent. The players have ambition and talent. I am confident we will get points until the end of the season to move forward. One point is better than nothing. We have to come back stronger."

The manner of defeat also carried an unwelcome statistical note for Pereira. The coach became the first manager to lose the opening Premier League match of a spell at a club due to a winning goal scored in the 90th minute or later, since Nuno Espirito Santo did the same with Forest against Bournemouth in December 2023. That late twist summed up a painful afternoon for Forest.