Liverpool 3-2 Nottingham Forest: Jurgen Klopp’s side move up to seventh

Jurgen Klopp’s arms hissed like the blades of a helicopter, the message behind the gesture becoming clear as the seconds ticked by.

Liverpool were in the lead, but Klopp didn’t exactly exude the confidence of a manager who felt his side were ready to get the job done. So he screamed and he shouted and gestured: Go back! Come back! And finally the message got across.

It was a close run thing though. The Liverpool defense had spent 45 minutes bringing gifts to Nottingham Forest and they left the door almost open enough for Steve Cooper’s brave team to exploit and boost their hopes of staying afloat.

Poor Cooper will be frustrated that scoring twice at Anfield didn’t pay off, but when he starts to explore why he too won’t have to look too far. Masters of their own downfall, Forest provided Liverpool with three chances to score that they would never waste.

Forest remain in the bottom three and time is not on their side. They will have a hard time staying upright if they remain so porous; the Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton forwards will be rubbing their hands like Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah did in a mad second period.

Mohamed Salah scored the winner as Liverpool continued their unlikely pursuit of Champions League football

Jurgen Klopp exhorted his team as they defended desperately towards the end to hold on to their lead

Jota, who had gone 372 days without scoring, plundered another double last Monday to go with a brace at Elland Road, while Salah moved level with Robbie Fowler in Liverpool’s list of record goalscorers with what proved to be the deciding blow.

This victory will keep Liverpool in the hunt to qualify for the Europa League, but Klopp will know better than anyone that if the defensive standards on display for much of the afternoon continue they will find themselves on the outside and inwards to look.

It said everything for the way the match had been played that Liverpool had 86 per cent of possession at half time, but as always the only stat that really matters is the number of goals a team scores: and here they went in. all square.

That was primarily due to Liverpool huffing and puffing. They only created three significant chances despite being on the ball: Jota headed into the side netting, a Virgil van Dijk header tipped over and Williams worked a Cody Gakpo header off the line.

Full of determination and well organised, Forest had a moment of their own when Van Dijk got his angles wrong and presented the ball to Morgan Gibbs-White, but the England Under-21 international’s shot was tame and Alisson Becker was able to rally. comfortable.

So all very sedate. If only we knew what was coming.

The second half was hugely entertaining, one of those games you get at this time of year when conventions go out the window. Neutrals would have loved the frenzy, but the disbelieving frown on Klopp and Cooper’s faces told you what the pros were thinking.

Jota started it all, coming through a group of yellow shirts to put the finishing touch to a ball from Fabinho with a header after Trent Alexander-Arnold jumped into a corner. With an advantage and their tails up, it should have been a procession – it was anything but.

Neco Williams equalized minutes after Diogo Jota put Liverpool ahead

Forest showed struggle, but their defensive frailties showed it again – conceding three avoidable goals

Nottingham Forest equalized twice – the second through Morgan Gibbs-White – but could not find a third

Lax defense by Nottingham Forest giving Salah one of the easier goals of his Liverpool career

Steve Cooper’s side is in serious danger of going straight back to the championship

Forest equalized within two minutes, as Williams ran the full length of the field to finish an attack through a deflection from Andy Robertson; Once he was of this parish, the Wales international refused to celebrate, but he was the only one not overjoyed.

Unfortunately, that cheer was quickly silenced. Another defensive foul allowed Jota to walk in a free kick and turn a shot past Keylor Navas. Surely this would be Liverpool home and hosed down? No. Again, more confusion at the back allowed Morgan Gibbs-White to draw level.

This should have been the catalyst for Forest to get a precious point, but another unnecessarily conceded free-kick ended with Salah firing in from six yards out. Klopp was in no mood to party – it’s been such a season.