EPL: Liverpool Snatch Dramatic 1-0 Win at Nottingham Forest

Liverpool survives with last-Gasp winner

Dramatic win for Liverpool at Forest, Mac Allister scores late. Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 1-0, Alexis Mac Allister scores 97th-minute winner.

Chances were at a premium throughout, and to suggest Liverpool were much better in the second half would probably be amiss...

Liverpool snatched a dramatic 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, thanks to Alexis Mac Allister's 97th-minute winner. This victory keeps Liverpool's Champions League hopes alive, moving them level with Chelsea and Manchester United on 45 points .

The match was a scruffy affair, with Liverpool struggling to create chances, especially after Florian Wirtz's injury in the warm-up. Nottingham Forest, under new manager Vítor Pereira, had more shots on target, but Liverpool's defense held firm until the very end.

Mac Allister's winner was a redemption story, after an earlier goal was ruled out for handball. Virgil van Dijk's header was parried by Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, and Mac Allister pounced on the rebound to score.

Nottingham Forest had the first real chance of the game, which came from a free-kick awarded due to an accidental head clash. Murillo's powerful shot from the free-kick was blocked by a Liverpool player.

The game was disrupted by several injury stoppages in the first half, affecting its momentum. Despite Forest's 12 shots, Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson wasn't heavily tested.

Nottingham Forest had dominated the first half and were pushing for a goal. Just before HT, Elliot Anderson's powerful drive flew just over, with Alisson making a desperate dive to keep it out.

Arne Slot’s words clearly weren’t ringing in Liverpool’s ears as they returned to action, as the second half began the same way the first ended - with Forest in the ascendancy.

A glorious opportunity presented itself too, as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s teasing delivery was planted perfectly onto the head of Nikola Milenković, but his effort was guided just wide of the target. 

Chances were at a premium throughout, and to suggest Liverpool were much better in the second half would probably be amiss. Slot looked to his bench to make a double change in the final 15 minutes, but his like-for-like changes didn’t particularly have any material impact on their struggles.

In his first PL game in charge, Pereira followed his opposite number in making a raft of changes in a desperate bid to find a late winner which would’ve opened up their cushion to the drop zone to five points.

An INCREDIBLE finish for @LFC, as Alexis Mac Allister wins in in the last minute! ⏱️ pic.twitter.com/Fm7DO8nCOM

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2026

Instead, Forest's late chances fell flat, and Liverpool almost punished them. Alexis Mac Allister scored a goal that looked lucky - Ola Aina's clearance deflected off him and into the net.

Unfortunately, the ball hit Mac Allister's arm, but it didn't matter - he popped up again in the dying moments. This time, he scored from close range on the rebound, giving Liverpool a huge boost in their top-four push and leaving Forest worried about relegation.