Darwin Nunez’s 99th-minute winner keeps Liverpool on course – to fury of Nottingham Forest

Darwin Nunez sparks bedlam in the away end with his late, controversial winner – Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Darwin Núñez is renowned as the chaos causer and he certainly delivered here. Bedlam unleashed in the away end, while bile rained down from the stands at the climax of a match that felt like a defining moment in the title race for Liverpool.

Nine minutes into added time, Núñez pounced to secure three crucial points and infuriate Nottingham Forest, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed on to the pitch to confront referee Paul Tierney after the final whistle.

Forest’s first-team coach Steven Reid was sent off as the home team vented their fury.

The flash-point occurred just before the goal, with Tierney stopping play after Ibrahima Konaté collapsed to the pitch with an apparent head injury and then allowing Liverpool to restart play.

Paul Tierney allowed Liverpool to re-start play after stopping it for an apparent head injury sustained by Ibrahima Konaté – Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images

Two minutes later, Núñez rose to head in Alexis Mac Allister’s wonderfully weighted cross to spark scenes of delirium and fury.

Forest deserved at least a point after a resilient, tactically disciplined performance. Yet these are the moments that make champions and Klopp’s injury-depleted squad have delivered four wins in 11 days. He was acutely aware of how significant this result could prove, extending their lead at the top to four points.

Klopp was a whirlwind of emotions all afternoon. He is not going quietly: 17 minutes from the end he had to be restrained by assistant Pep Lijnders as he angrily remonstrated with Tierney after a decision went against his team.

Minutes later he heard something from the Forest fans sat behind the dug-out and stared them down. By the end, though, he was celebrating wildly in front of his own supporters after a momentous week.

“In the circumstances, winning the game is ridiculous,” he said. “It’s pretty special what the boys did. To get to that points tally was a big fight. It never was easy.

“It was the most difficult game we played because of the circumstances. Four games in 11 days is really tricky with the squad situation we have.

“I can’t ask for more than what the boys are doing. Next Sunday would be a massive game anyway [at home to Manchester City].

Darwin Nunez acrobatically flicks in the winner – Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images

“Before that we play a difficult game in Prague [in the Europa League]. We have to keep going and recover.”

You have to wind the clock back to October 1984 when Liverpool last secured a victory at the City Ground in the top division. Ian Rush was one of the goalscorers that day and, before Núñez’s introduction late in the second half, Liverpool were sorely missing a penalty box master during this troubled time of injuries.

The average age of Klopp’s squad was a little older here, with Andy Robertson returning to the starting XI while Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai were both on the bench.

Forest did not deserve to lose, following Nuno Espirito Santo’s tactical plan to the letter. The gameplan was clearly to attack Liverpool with pace on the break, utilising the speed of Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Elanga had the best chance of the first half when he was sent clear by Divock Origi, but his shot was pushed away by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Kelleher is likely to emerge as a major target for a number of clubs this summer, continuing to impress in the absence of Alisson.

Forest’s defending was a combination of determination and desperation, as Liverpool began to crank up the pressure. Andrew Omobamidele cleared off the line from Robertson five minutes into the second half and, just before the hour, enter Núñez.

Elanga missed yet another great chance, driving inches wide of the post after a fine move down the left, but Forest seemed to have done enough to secure a point. Mac Allister was the calmest man on the field, in the 99th minute, sending over an exquisite cross which Núñez nodded into the corner.

These are worrying times for Forest, whose hearing starts this week after their charge for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

“It’s a hard one to take and we did not deserve it,” said Nuno. “We are just missing the final details and if you are asking me if we need to improve, of course we do.

“I will not comment on the referee, but we should deal with the goal better. We have to recover and go again because there is still a lot of time left in the season.”

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