Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest result, highlights and analysis as Jota brace helps Reds win five-goal thriller

David Lynch

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Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest result, highlights and analysis as Jota brace helps Reds win five-goal thriller image

ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL — Diogo Jota scored twice as Liverpool deepened Nottingham Forest's relegation fears by winning a thrilling Anfield encounter 3-2.

The Portuguese opened the scoring in a five-goal second half before getting on the scoresheet again after former Reds defender Neco Williams had quickly levelled.

But the visitors continued to threaten, and got back on terms again as Morgan Gibbs-White arrowed a controlled volley into the bottom corner from just inside the box.

Steve Cooper's side rarely looked solid in defending set-pieces, though, and conceded another through that method when Mohamed Salah volleyed in a free-kick delivery to delight the home crowd.

That helped the hosts make it two wins on the bounce and ensured their opponents remain in the Premier League's bottom three.

MORE: How many Champions League finals have Liverpool played in? Full list of Reds' all-time European Cup trophies

Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest live score

  1H 2H Final
Liverpool 0 3 3
Forest 0 2 2

Goals:
LIV — Jota — 47th min
NOT — Williams — 51st min
LIV — Jota — 55th min
NOT — Gibbs-White — 67th min
LIV — Salah — 70th min

Jota helps Reds paper over cracks

At this point of the season, it's hardly a surprise that Liverpool aren't the all-conquering winning machine they once were.

But imperfect sides can still win plenty of games, and the Reds showed how in coming out on top here.

Having scored just once in a recent four-game winless stretch, Klopp's men have now found the back of the net 11 times in the last three matches.

And that sort of prolific form that can help mask the clear weaknesses in this side across the remainder of the campaign.

Set-pieces do the job for the Reds

Of course, the hosts didn't find it particularly easy to create from open play against a massed Forest defence, and so turned to a familiar weapon to get on the scoresheet three times.

That is a set-piece threat that was a hallmark of even the best Klopp teams in recent years - though more regularly used to break open games than decide them.

All three goals came from either a corner or free-kick, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson's wicked deliveries causing chaos in the opposition box. 

It is certainly a good skill to have, and one that is proving useful to Liverpool even in a season where they are no longer challenging for trophies.

Forest not going down without a fight

Steve Cooper is unlikely to be delighted that his side have scored twice at Anfield and come away with nothing to show for it.

But there is undoubtedly plenty the visitors can take from this defeat for the many crucial games to come.

For starters, Moussa Niakhate's long throw is likely to prove a problem for every team they face, while Taiwo Awoniyi's link-up play and Morgan Gibbs-White's drive were other impressive elements of their play on Saturday.

If they tighten things up at that back - and that should be easier against teams without Liverpool's attacking talent - then Cooper's men have every chance of saving themselves.

Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest live updates, highlights

FULLTIME: All over at Anfield and Liverpool earn a hard-fought three points.

The Reds had controlled much of the match but struggled whenever Forest put balls into their box from long throw-ins, corners or free-kicks.

Fortunately for them, the same was true of the opposition, and three set-piece goals have won it for Jurgen Klopp's side.

86th min: Three changes for the visitors now, Ayew, Dennis and Surridge coming on Awoniyi, Felipe and Lodi.

81st min: Jota and Jones making way for Liverpool, with Diaz and Milner replacing them.

79th min: Johnson hits the bar for Forest!!!

The visitors' long throws have been causing chaos all afternoon and they look set to profit again when one drops to Johnson inside the box.

However, he can only find the top of the bar after lifting a clever attempt over Alisson, and Liverpool get it away. 

76th min: Brennan Johnson coming on for Forest, replacing Remo Freuler.

That should give the visitors even more threat in these closing stages - can they nick an equaliser?

70th min: GOAL! What a mad, mad game. Liverpool back in front!

Salah gets on the scoresheet this time, getting in front of his man to meet Alexander-Arnold's freekick delivery and powerfully poke it home off the post.

There's a hint of offside about it but, after a brief VAR check, the goal stands.

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67th min: GOAL! Forest are back level!!!

It's a brilliantly taken goal from Gibbs-White, who meets a flick-on in the centre of the box and fires it low and hard into the back of the net.

The visitors have continued to look dangerous since going behind and now they have a point to defend again. 

65th min: Jota comes close to his hat-trick... forcing Navas into a fingertip save with a lofted header from a lovely Konate ball over the top.

60th min: Two changes for Liverpool, Nunez and Thiago taking the places of Gakpo and Fabinho.

Nunez getting a runout in his favoured centre-forward position.

55th min: GOAL! Well, this is turning into a goalfest and Liverpool are back in front.

It's Jota again, the Portguese somehow finding acres from a free-kick delivery to control the ball and then fire it home on his left foot. 

Forest are claiming for offside but replays show their line was a mess and the Liverpool forward's movement had kept him onside by around five yards or so.

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51st min: GOAL! Nottingham Forest hit straight back!!!

It comes after good hold-up play from Awoniyi allows Gibbs-White to break into space, and he feeds former Liverpool man Williams for a powerful shot that takes a nick to deceive Alisson and find the back of the net.

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47th min: GOAL! Set-pieces felt like Liverpool's likeliest route to an opening goal in this game and so it has proved.

It comes from Diogo Jota, who gets in front of his man to nod home from close range after Fabinho had headed a corner back into the danger zone. 

The Portuguese firmly back in the goals after ending his year-long drought at Leeds.

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46th min: We're back under way at Anfield.

HALFTIME: The whistle sounds to mark the end of the first half and, though they've hardly touched the ball and have given up the odd chance, Nottingham Forest will be absolutely delighted with how this is going so far.

Liverpool will know they need to do a lot more in the second half if they are to unlock this visiting defence.

45th min: Three minutes to be added on as Liverpool win a freekick just outside the Forest box on the left-hand side.

39th min: Liverpool should be 1-0 up!

Jota meets an Alexander-Arnold delivery with his head at the back stick but can only direct it into the side-netting when he probably should do much better.

35th min: Shouts for handball in the Forest box as a shot hits a defender from close range but referee Michael Oliver isn't interested.

30th min: Forest forced into a change as Scott McKenna, who is holding his ribs as he leaves the field, is replaced by Joe Worrall.

26th min: Van Dijk meets an Alexander-Arnold freekick delivery powerfully with his head but Navas does well to tip it over.

23rd min: Liverpool nick the ball high up through Jones and quickly feed Salah out wide so he can tee up Fabinho for a shot.

It's not good from the Brazilian, though, his effort almost picking out the top of the new Anfield Road end extension such is the height he puts on it.

17th min: Salah so nearly slips in Gakpo as Liverpool break but a brilliant sliding interception from Niakhate prevents the Dutchman from getting a shot off.

10th min: Liverpool have a freekick on the left-hand side, which Robertson whips onto the head of Konate for an attempt that trickles just wide after a flick off a Forest defender.

9th min: Nottingham Forest fans showing solidarity with Liverpool supporters. 

5th min: Liverpool have utterly dominated possession since the first whistle and finally get their first shot away in the fifth minute.

Unfortunately for them, it's a scuffed long-distance effort from Cody Gakpo, which rolls wide of the upright.

1st min: We're under way at Anfield.

10 mins from kickoff: Leeds' defeat to Fulham in the early kickoff means Nottingham Forest have the chance to climb as high as 16th with a win today.

30 mins from kickoff: The players warming up in glorious sunshine at Anfield, with summer closing in fast. Will Forest still have their Premier League status when the season comes to a close? And will Liverpool have European football to look forward to next term?

This game could go a big way to deciding.

1 hr from kickoff: The team news is in and Liverpool make no changes as Klopp probably wisely sticks with the team that beat Leeds comfortably.

As for Forest, they make the one change, Brennan Johnson perhaps surprisingly dropping down to the bench for Orel Mangala.

1.5 hrs from kickoff: Half an hour to go until we hear team news but one thing we already know about the Liverpool line-up is that it won't feature Roberto Firmino.

The Brazilian is set to miss the next three games at least due to a muscle injury.

2 hrs from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. 

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest lineups, team news

Jurgen Klopp has opted to stick with the same starting lineup that thrashed Leeds last time out for the visit of fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.

Midfielders Naby Keita and Stefan Bajcetic are both sidelined with muscle injuries while Calvin Ramsay misses out with a knee problem. Luis Diaz played his first minutes since his injury against Arsenal back in October.

Liverpool lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson — Henderson, Fabinho, Jones — Salah, Gakpo, Diogo Jota

Subs: Subs: Kelleher (GK), Gomez, Thiago, Milner, Elliott, Tsimikas, Diaz, Nunez, Matip

Forest make one change to the team that suffered defeat to Manchester United, with Brennan Johnson making way and Orel Mangala coming in to replace him.

Willy Boly, Dean Henderson, Chris Wood, and Cheikhou Kouyate are all out with thigh injuries. Giulian Biancone misses out with a knee injury while Omar Richards has a calf injury.

Serge Aurier, Gustavo Scarpa, and Ryan Yates are also out.

Nottingham Forest lineup (3-4-2-1): Navas (GK) — Felipe, Niakhate, McKenna — Williams, Mangala, Danilo, Lodi — Freuler, Gibbs-White  — Awoniyi

Subs: Hennessey (GK), Worrall, Lingard, Toffolo, Surridge, Johnson, Dennis, Ayew, Hammond

What time does Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest kick-off?

This Premier League match from Anfield kicks off on Saturday, April 22 at 3:00 p.m. local time.

Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Date Kickoff time
USA Sat, Apr. 22 10:00 ET
Canada Sat, Apr. 22 10:00 ET
UK Sat, Apr. 22 15:00 BST
Australia Sun, Apr. 23 00:00 AEST
India Sat, Apr. 22 19:30 IST
Hong Kong Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 HKT
Malaysia Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 MYT
Singapore Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 SGT
New Zealand Sun, Apr. 23 02:00 NZST

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest live stream, TV channel

  Date Kickoff time TV channel Streaming
Australia Sun, Apr. 23 00:00 AEST — Optus Sport
Canada Sat, Apr. 22 10:00 ET — Fubo Canada
Hong Kong Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 HKT 621 Now Premier League 1 Now Player
India Sat, Apr. 22 19:30 IST — JioTV, Hotstar VIP
Malaysia Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 MYT — Astro Go,
sooka
New Zealand Sun, Apr. 23 02:00 NZST — Sky Sport NOW
Singapore Sat, Apr. 22 22:00 SGT 221 Hub Premier 1 StarHubTV+
UK Sat, Apr. 22 20:00 BST — —
USA Sat, Apr. 22 10:00 ET USA Network, Universo Fubo, NBC Sports App, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Universo Now

UK: The match will not be broadcast in the UK due to the 3pm blackout rule.

USA: This match will be broadcast on USA Network (English) and Universo (Spanish). It can also be streamed on the Fubo and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo for Spanish viewers.

Canada: Viewers from Canada can stream this game on fubo.

Australia: Optus Sport is the exclusive broadcaster of Premier League football in Australia. 

David Lynch

David Lynch Photo

David Lynch is a freelance football journalist primarily covering Liverpool FC. He has reported on the the Reds for over a decade for publications such as the Sunday Mirror and Evening Standard, carving out a reputation as a trusted voice on all things Anfield in the process. Having followed Liverpool across England and Europe over the course of his career, David has filed from illustrious venues such as Camp Nou, the Allianz Arena and the Estadio do Dragao, as well as from multiple Champions League finals.