Nottingham Forest’s fairytale Premier League season took another big step on Tuesday when the former European champions secured a draw over league leaders Liverpool at home.
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Liverpool dominated the night at the City Ground but was still forced to come from behind to settle for a draw after New Zealand striker Chris Wood put Forest in front after eight minutes.
His strike came against the run of play and took his remarkable season tally to 13 goals in 21 games.
Forest still dreamt of clinching a miraculous win well into the second half, until Diogo Jota — who had been on the field for just 22 seconds — nodded home for Liverpool from a corner.
Jota continued to make an impact, and Liverpool kept Forest under siege, but the underdogs escaped with a point to delight the home crowd.
Liverpool remains six points clear of anyone on the Premier League table.
The result also keeps Forest in second-place after 21 games, one point ahead of Arsenal, and three ahead of Chelsea, who needed a 95th minute goal from Reece James to save a draw at home to Bournemouth.
Title rivals Manchester City, meanwhile, missed the major opportunity to close the gap by coughing up a 2-0 lead to Brentford, who stunned the champions late with 82nd and 92nd goals from Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard.
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The biggest result of the night, however, belonged to Forest whose redemption in England’s top flight continues to gather steam.
Their fairytale run has been spearheaded by a career year from striker Wood, the 33-year-old Kiwi who has been among the Premier League’s most prolific goal scorers this season.
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson noted that the City Ground “erupted” when Wood scored against the run of play.
“Forest hadn’t been out of their half in the first eight minutes. I cannot believe they are 1-0 up. They had been ripped to shreds,” he noted.
Clinton Morrison, former Republic of Ireland striker, said on the BBC: “This is why Forest are good. You don’t see them for the first five minutes and then they hit.”
Forest’s remarkable run of six successive league wins prior to Liverpool’s visit had sparked claims they could emulate Leicester’s fairytale title triumph in 2016.
This impressive performance suggested that dream should not be completely discounted, even if Liverpool remain firm favourites.
Earlier this month, Forest marked the 50th anniversary of Brian Clough’s appointment, which triggered the club’s incredible rise from the second tier to English champions in 1978 and European Cup winners in 1979 and 1980.
– Inspired Sels –
Back then, Forest and Liverpool were England’s pre-eminent forces, jousting for domestic and continental silverware on a regular basis.
For the first time since 1979, Liverpool and Forest were meeting with both teams in the top three and the retro feel was palpable on the banks of the River Trent.
Forest fans, red and white scarves twirling in the raucous atmosphere, had barely finished a stirring pre-match rendition of Mull of Kintyre before their team delivered a statement of intent that could easily have come from the Clough era.
Forest have proved lethal on the counter-attack this season and they caught Liverpool with a punishing sucker-punch from their first attack in the eighth minute.
Anthony Elanga’s pin-point pass caught Virgil van Dijk flat-footed as Wood ran in behind the Liverpool defender.
Keeping his composure, Wood slotted a clinical finish under Alisson Becker. Slot’s men dominated possession after that but struggled to break down a resolute Forest defence well marshalled by Serbian centre-back Nikola Milenkovic.
Milenkovic and Murillo had stopped Liverpool mustering a shot on target in the first half as Mohamed Salah was held in check.
Liverpool drew level after a rare slip from Nuno’s defence in the 66th minute. Kostas Tsimikas’s corner looped into penalty area and Jota, one of the smallest players on the pitch, was given space to glance his header past Sels from five yards.
It was an inspired substitution from Slot, who had sent on Jota and Tsimikas just 22 seconds earlier.
Jota almost struck again, weaving through the Forest defence before Sels made a fine save to deny the Portugal forward.
Sels produced an even better stop moments later, throwing himself in front of Jota’s powerful close-range strike.
In a frantic finale, Dominik Szoboszlai’s blast forced another good save from Sels, while Salah’s curler was tipped over by the inspired Forest keeper.
There was nearly a dramatic winner for Liverpool but Salah’s shot was cleared off the line by Ola Aina before Sels clawed Cody Gakpo’s shot to safety.
MAN CITY BLOW LATE LEAD AT BRENTFORD, CHELSEA HELD BY BOURNEMOUTH
Manchester City’s upturn came undone as Brentford hit back to draw 2-2 on Tuesday, while Chelsea were also held by the same scoreline at home by Bournemouth.
Phil Foden’s double had City on course for a fourth consecutive win after a run of just one victory in 13 games.
However, the English champions’ defending was not convincing all night and they were punished as Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard struck in the final 10 minutes to earn Brentford a point.
Foden’s return to the form that saw him crowned Premier League player of the year last season was the one positive for City.
But Pep Guardiola will reflect on a missed opportunity to make up ground on the top four.
A point leaves City still down in sixth.
Erling Haaland and Savinho struck the woodwork for City either side of half-time.
However, Brentford were a constant threat on the counter-attack and only a brilliant last ditch tackle from Josko Gvardiol denied Wissa the opener for the home side.
Moments later, Foden produced a brilliant deft touch from Kevin De Bruyne’s inviting delivery to score for just the third time in the Premier League this season.
Brentford then saw a host of chances to level come and go before City punished them with a sucker punch.
Savinho’s powerful effort was parried by Mark Flekken into the path of Foden, who smashed in his fourth goal in five league games.
Brentford did finally get some reward for their attacking endeavour when Wissa slotted in from Mads Roerslev’s cross to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League.
And they completed the comeback in stoppage time when Norgaard’s header had too much power for Stefan Ortega.
– Reece rescues Chelsea –
Chelsea’s miserable run extended to five league games without a win but they were grateful for captain Reece James’ stoppage-time equaliser salvaging a point for them against the Cherries.
Cole Palmer’s cool finish from Nicolas Jackson’s through ball had given Chelsea the perfect start.
But Bournemouth hit back despite losing both their strikers Evanilson and Enes Unal to long-term injuries.
Justin Kluivert levelled from the penalty spot, before Antoine Semenyo’s blistering near-post effort put the visitors in front.
James has endured another injury-hit season but showed the quality he possesses by curling home a free-kick at the death.
West Ham boss Graham Potter enjoyed a winning home debut as Fulham were beaten 3-2 at the London Stadium.
The Hammers shrugged off an injury crisis in attacking areas to score twice in two first-half minutes.
Carlos Soler pounced on a wayward pass by Andreas Pereira to sweep in the opener before Tomas Soucek fired in from Aaron Wan Bissaka’s cross.
Alex Iwobi’s intended cross evaded everyone on its way in at the start of the second half to give Fulham hope.
Lucas Paqueta restored West Ham’s two-goal cushion to take Potter’s men above Manchester United and Tottenham into 12th.
Iwobi pulled another goal back for Fulham, but defeat leaves them still in ninth.
