Liverpool’s relentless pursuit of the Premier League title hit a roadblock on Tuesday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a resolute Nottingham Forest in a clash of the league’s top two sides.
Chris Wood put Forest ahead early, igniting a charged atmosphere at the City Ground.
However, Liverpool dominated much of the match’s 97 minutes and eventually leveled through Diogo Jota, who scored with his very first touch after coming on.
Despite Liverpool’s overwhelming possession—exceeding 70%—and 23 attempts on goal, they were unable to secure the three points, thanks largely to an outstanding display from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Sels made a string of crucial saves to thwart efforts from Jota, Mohamed Salah, and Cody Gakpo, while Salah also saw a goalbound shot cleared off the line.
For Arne Slot’s Liverpool, the draw preserved a six-point advantage over Forest, with the leaders also holding a game in hand.
Forest, riding a wave of seven straight wins across all competitions, had raised hopes of pulling off a fairytale title run akin to Leicester City’s stunning triumph in 2015/16.
That dream seemed plausible when Wood converted Anthony Elanga’s assist just eight minutes into the game.
Liverpool only began to seriously threaten after the break, and Jota’s timely header from Kostas Tsimikas’ corner restored parity. However, despite the Reds’ late pressure, Forest held firm to secure a vital point.
This result marked Liverpool’s second consecutive league draw, offering Arsenal an opportunity to narrow the gap at the top to four points when they face Tottenham in Wednesday’s north London derby.
