DIOGO JOTA’S INSTANT impact from the bench ensured Premier League leaders Liverpool kept Nottingham Forest at arm’s length after a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.
All the noise before the match was about how a win for Forest would see them move within three points of Arne Slot’s side and solidify their status as surprise title challengers.
And for a long time it looked like that would happen as they led inside the opening 10 minutes through Chris Wood’s 13th goal of the season.
But Jota was introduced in the 66th minute and 22 seconds later he nodded his side level from a corner which fellow substitute Kostas Tsimikas set up.
Liverpool then came up against a one-man barrier in the shape of Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, who made a string of incredible saves to earn the hosts a point.
The draw suited Slot’s men fine as they remain six points above Forest, with a game in hand, and seven in front of Arsenal who play Tottenham on Wednesday.
Forest’s incredible six-match winning run is over and a title challenge does seem a stretch, but they asserted themselves as definite Champions League qualification contenders.
As per their style, they had barely touched the ball by the time they went ahead in the eighth minute.
Liverpool had already had three shots that sailed off target before they were undone by a lightning Forest attack which they were powerless to stop.
Callum Hudson-Odoi fed Anthony Elanga and he turned and picked out Wood, who stayed onside and found the bottom corner with aplomb.
After Murillo fired an effort from distance just wide moments later, the game reverted to type with Liverpool having all of the ball.
Forest’s defensive unit held firm, though, and it was a counter-attack that saw Liverpool have a real opening in the 35th minute.
It was two on one as Luis Diaz broke but his attempted pass to Cody Gakpo was blocked by Murillo and the chance was gone.
The second half fell into the same pattern and Liverpool began to up the ante as Dominik Szoboszlai had a shot blocked in a good position and then Mohamed Salah, who had been a virtual spectator, bundled an effort wide.
Slot was forced into changes and they paid immediate dividends in the 66th minute.
Kostas Tsimikas and Jota came on before a corner and they combined to score from the set-piece, with Tsimikas’ wicked delivery glanced home by the Portuguese.
The visitors smelled blood and Jota could have grabbed a second soon after but Sels made a big block.
The Belgian keeper has been one of Forest’s players of the season and he made a huge stop to deny Jota again after a loose ball fell to him eight yards out.
He also turned Szoboszlai’s effort around the post as Liverpool began to turn the screw, with Salah also blazing over.
Salah had three more chances as he saw Sels produce another incredible stop to tip over, then watched as Ola Aina blocked on the line before firing over as normal time drifted away.
Sels was not in the mood to be beaten again and made one more stop, turning Gakpo’s low shot around the post at the death.
No way Mario starts on Sunday
Stick Rooney up front and Mata in his place in midfield I hope
Hopefully
It would look bad if Rooney clicked up front and Mata was back to his best in midfield…… Would say a lot about LVG.