What the papers say: Nottingham Forest v Liverpool

A controversial 99th-minute winner from Darwin Núñez incensed the City Ground, as Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 1-0. Here’s what the national newspapers had to say

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The Guardian

Nottingham Forest are seeking answers from Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the referees’ body, after being left incensed by the buildup to Darwin Núñez’s 99th-minute winner for Liverpool, resulting in ugly scenes that could trigger punishment by the Football Association.

Paul Tierney wrongly handed Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Caoimhín Kelleher, the ball to restart play from a drop ball less than two minutes before Núñez headed in to extend Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to four points. The fourth official, Graham Scott, indicated eight added minutes, which expired 36 seconds before Núñez struck, though the figure held up is a minimum.

Evangelos Marinakis, the Forest owner, stormed to the side of the pitch and was reportedly removed from the tunnel by security after asking for an explanation from Tierney, who wrongly allowed Liverpool to restart play after a collision between two of their players when Forest had possession outside the visitors’ penalty area. Steven Reid, the Forest first-team coach, was sent off and Mark Clattenburg, Forest’s referees’ analyst, was blocked from entering the officials’ dressing room. In the aftermath of the goal a supporter encroached on to the pitch and had to be removed by stewards.

The Times

This was an epic, a masterpiece of mayhem, and maybe even determined two clubs’ seasons — all crammed into stoppage time. Nine minutes it lasted but contained a year’s worth of storylines. And, at the end of it, Jürgen Klopp was flashing that grin while Nuno Espírito Santo, wearing an expression of infinite sadness, stood with his fist in his mouth, biting down hard.

If Liverpool win the title, these nine minutes may well be the ones that make the difference. If Forest go down, they will never forget — or forgive — them. In a bilious aftermath the club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, waited for the referee, Paul Tierney, on the pitch and then in the tunnel, while their staff harangued the referee too, who showed a red card to the first team coach Steven Reid.

The allotted 90 minutes were dramatic enough. Nuno excels at counterattacking gameplans and Forest carried theirs out brilliantly, frustrating a Liverpool side who would have given anything to have the absent Mohamed Salah back in their ranks, the sides trading wasted opportunities.

The Telegraph

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.

The Independent

Just seconds from the end, Darwin Nunez produced one of those uproarious moments that you might usually say was a sign of where the title is going. The evidence of this season, however, suggests it’s going to need many more of them.

Perhaps the greatest significance of this 99th-minute 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, beyond the vintage late header of such a classic run-in victory, was that Jurgen Klopp’s side kept persevering despite so many absences. They have kept this form going, and still have a number of stars to come back.

The return of a player who is definitely ascending to that kind of level for supporters was the crucial difference here.

The I

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed onto the pitch in the wake of Liverpool’s last-minute win at the City Ground.

Darwin Nunez left it until the 99th minute to score the only goal of the game, before carnage broke out after the final whistle, leading to Forest first-team coach Steven Reid being sent off.

And Marinakis came down from the stands and onto the pitch, before appearing to wait for referee Paul Tierney in the tunnel.

The late win means Liverpool extend their lead at the top of the Premier League, while Forest edge ever closer to the relegation zone.

The Mail

Sometimes things just seem to be written in the stars. With Liverpool looking likely to drop two points and hand the initiative to Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race, up stepped Darwin Nunez.

The Reds had never won at the home of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League era and could easily have fallen behind had Anthony Elanga taken one of two outstanding chances.

But then in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Forest failed to clear a corner, Alexis Mac Allister crossed and Nunez – a second-half substitute – climbed highest to head home.

The giddy scenes of celebration on the visitors’ bench were matched in the away end but Forest felt desperately aggrieved. About a minute before the goal, play had stopped for a head injury to Ibrahima Konate, as Callum Hudson-Odoi shaped to cross.

Instead of returning possession, Liverpool played on and though the goal did not develop immediately, Forest were raging. A red card was shown to a member of their coaching staff after the final whistle as they surrounded referee Paul Tierney, and abuse rained from the stands.

The Mirror

Darwin Nunez scored a dramatic winner in the ninth minute of injury time to give Liverpool a huge win at Nottingham Forest.

The Uruguayan came off the bench to score a header from an Alexis Mac Allister assist as Forest fumed at the amount of added time awarded and referee Paul Tierney’s decision to stop a Forest attack due to a head injury to Ibrahima Konate. When Tierney restarted play he gave Liverpool an uncontested drop ball which allowed them to start an attack, and a few moments later they scored.

The first half struggled to provide much entertainment, but Caoimhin Kelleher saved well from Anthony Elanga following a fast Forest break, while Luis Diaz and Bobby Clark, on his first Premier League start, narrowly missed the target and Diaz saw a close range effort blocked.

The Sun

Darwin Nunez grabbed a sensational winner deep into stoppage time to end Liverpool’s incredible week.

Second-half substitute Nunez headed in Alexis Mac Allister’s cross to send the visiting fans into delirium and spark angry scenes after the final whistle.

The home bench and players, still furious about a decision by Paul Tierney moments earlier, surrounded the official as the Forest fans sang “Cheat”.

First-team coach Steven Reid was sent off, and even owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly had to be “removed by security in the tunnel after trying to confront Tierney”.

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