Liverpool will likely be pleased to close the chapter on their encounters with Nottingham Forest this season. In their two meetings with the team that has emerged as a surprise contender in the Premier League, the leaders garnered just a single point after a 1-1 draw at Forest’s energetic City Ground on Tuesday. Liverpool, having lost only once in their last 20 games—specifically at home to Forest 1-0 back in September—now finds itself under continued pressure for the league title.
In a match marked by intensity, Diogo Jota managed to equalize for Liverpool after only 22 seconds on the pitch, scoring from a header following a corner kick in the 66th minute. This goal helped Liverpool maintain a six-point lead over Forest, who secured second place in a remarkable pursuit of a Champions League qualifying spot. Forest’s journey this season has taken many by surprise, especially considering that they began the campaign more focused on avoiding relegation than contending for top honors. Their early dominance was highlighted when Chris Wood scored in the eighth minute, putting them ahead.
As the match progressed, Liverpool intensified their attack but ultimately failed to secure the win. Matz Sels, the goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest, reflected on the season by noting their goal of reaching 40 points to ensure safety. With 41 points already from 17 matches, Forest is now aiming for higher aspirations. The atmosphere at the City Ground was electric, reminiscent of an age when the club enjoyed glorious back-to-back European titles under the renowned manager Brian Clough in 1979 and 1980.
Although Liverpool has a game in hand that could reinforce their solid position for clinching a historical 20th English league title, Arsenal lurks in third place. The Gunners could narrow the gap to just four points if they defeat Tottenham in the upcoming north London derby. “If we keep delivering performances like we did in the second half,” concluded manager Arne Slot, “we will find ourselves less unfortunate in escaping with draws.”
Meanwhile, Manchester City exhibited their vulnerabilities again by giving up a two-goal lead to settle for a 2-2 draw at Brentford. After Phil Foden netted two goals, City let the game slip, conceding late goals in the 82nd minute and during stoppage time. Following a turbulent stretch where they imperiled their Champions League qualification hopes, City had recently captured victories over Leicester and West Ham. However, the team is still dealing with late-game management issues. City manager Pep Guardiola remarked, “We have to manage (games) a little bit better,” though he still found positives in the match.
Over at Chelsea, the team managed to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth, with Reece James scoring a free kick deep into stoppage time. Chelsea remains winless in their last five league matches, despite Cole Palmer’s innovative finish providing a temporary lead in the 13th minute. Yet, Bournemouth rallied with a penalty from Justin Kluivert and a powerful shot from Antoine Semenyo to go ahead. Chelsea holds on to fourth place for now, pending Newcastle’s performance in their upcoming match.
In a notable turnaround, Graham Potter celebrated his first success as West Ham’s manager with a thrilling 3-2 win over Fulham. With goals from Carlos Soler and Tomas Soucek in the first half, and a critical third from Lucas Paqueta, West Ham secured a vital three points, distancing themselves from the relegation battle. Fulham’s Alex Iwobi managed to score both goals for his side, making the match a nail-biting affair as the score fluctuated.
In another exciting development, third-tier Leyton Orient advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup, setting up a clash with Manchester City next month after defeating second-tier Derby 6-5 in a penalty shootout.
