Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool: Mac Allister Wins It After Poor Performance

Liverpool secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in Premier League Round 27 on February 22, 2026, thanks to a late goal from Alexis Mac Allister, despite a subpar showing from Arne Slot's side[1][2]. The match, refereed by Anthony Taylor, kicked off at 2:00 PM UTC, with Liverpool extending their points tally to 43 while Forest remained on 27, teetering just above relegation[4][5].

Forest, under new manager Vitor Pereira following a stunning 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the season, started brightly, buoyed by a "new manager bounce." Morgan Gibbs-White led their attack with 10 goals this term, supported by Hugo Ekitike's 7 goals, but defensive solidity from Liverpool's backline held firm[2][3][7]. Key interventions, including from Nikola Milenkovic, kept the score level at halftime (0-0), as Forest fired over from distance[3][5].

Liverpool, chasing a top-five finish two points off the mark, struggled with possession and creativity. Mohamed Salah (6 assists), Cody Gakpo, and Florian Wirtz featured prominently, but Stefan Ortega's goalkeeper had minimal involvement early on—recording just 18 touches by late in the game[6][7]. Injuries and an inexperienced bench, lacking depth beyond Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez, hampered Slot's options[6].

The breakthrough came in stoppage time when Mac Allister netted the winner, silencing the home crowd and avenging Forest's prior humiliation[1]. Pre-match predictions favored Liverpool 0-2, but the Reds labored throughout, alternating recent form of DLWLW against Forest's DWDLD[6][7]. Standouts included Elliott Anderson (7.28 rating) for Forest and Ryan Gravenberch (7.57) for Liverpool[7].

Lineups: Forest (tega; ina, enkovic, illo; Sang, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Odoi, Igor, Jesus); Liverpool (isson; obosai, Vanijk, kezavenber, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike)[6]. This result boosts Liverpool's Champions League push after Chelsea's slip, while Forest's survival fight intensifies[3][4].

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