MATCH CENTRE: Nottingham Forest hold Liverpool as Reds miss chance to extend lead – 5 talking point

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1-1 LIVERPOOL: Chris Wood gave Forest the lead at the City Ground, where a virtuoso display from Matz Sels ensured Diogo Jota was LIverpool’s only scorer

Matz Sels put in a superb display in the Forest goal

Nottingham Forest held league leaders Liverpool to a 1-1 draw as their superb season continued at The City Ground.

The hosts, who remain the only side to beat Arne Slot’s Reds in the Premier League this campaign, took the lead with their first attack after just eight minutes when Chris Wood raced onto an Anthony Elanga pass to fire home.

Liverpool would then go on to dominate possession but had little to show for their efforts until substitute Diogo Jota headed in fellow sub Kostas Tsimikas’s corner within seconds of both coming on.

Slot’s side pressed for a winner but were denied by two superb saves from Matz Sels to deny Jota and one from Salah, who also had an effort cleared off the line by Ola Aina. Here are the game’s main talking points.

1. Nottingham Forest’s kings of the counter-attack

Chris Wood opened the scoring after eight minutes(Getty Images)

The entire opening eight minutes had been played with Liverpool heading towards the Nottingham Forest goal, but then suddenly the pitch seemed to tilt the other way as the Midlands Red Arrows burst up the other end.

Counter-attacking has been one of the bedrocks of Forest’s excellent season, and they have developed into perhaps the best side in the division at it. Elanga’s pass into Wood’s path was perfect, and while the New Zealander still had a lot to do anyone who has seen him play this season would have been confident he could do it. It was stunning opening.

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2. Liverpool show a lack of quality again

Alexis Mac Allister struggled with the final ball in the

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Having settled into the game before conceding it was as though the goal knocked Liverpool’s confidence, and suddenly for the remainder of the first half there was a real lack of quality when it came to creating chances and indeed chances to create chances.

As in the Manchester United draw it was all a bit rushed at times, often leading to overhit passes, crosses and shots, with efforts flying over Sels’ crossbar at will. Slot could be seen on the sidelines imploring his players to take their time, particularly Alexis Mac Allister, as his passing began to sum up the first half efforts. It looked as though nerves had set in.