Nottm Forest 1-0 Liverpool (14 September 2024) Match Analysis

A superb second-half goal from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi gave Nottingham Forest their biggest surprise win of the Premier League season so far at Anfield on Saturday, beating Liverpool 1-0.

For Forest, it was their first win at Anfield since 1969. The players and the away fans celebrated the success, while the home crowd lamented the Reds' leaderless performance, which lacked penetration.

Liverpool dominated the first half and Luis Díaz almost broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when he tried to keep the ball in play on the Forest goal line, cut inside and then fired a sharp shot at the near post.

Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah made a beautiful pass with the outside of his left foot to Dominik Szoboszlai, whose header went just wide as Liverpool increased the pressure.

In fact, Salah was kept well in check by Forest full-back Álex Moreno, who tirelessly pursued the Egyptian international before being substituted shortly before the end.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot must have sensed it wasn't going to be his day when Forest keeper Matz Sels impressed late in the first half, parrying a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner that almost went under the bar with all his might and then saving a Carlos Mac Allister header a minute later.

Before half-time, Selz almost gave Liverpool the lead when Díaz headed the ball high into the air and the goalkeeper almost put the ball into his own net in an attempt to intercept it, but was able to catch himself and avert the danger.

Despite all the chances they created in the first half, Liverpool's attackers were all too often on different wavelengths and their game lacked its usual fluidity for much of the game, allowing them to waste chances.

Their wastefulness was punished in the 72nd minute when Anthony Elanga found substitute Hudson-Odoi with a brilliant cross pass, the 23-year-old winger cut inside and curled the ball past goalkeeper Alisson with a fantastic shot.

After winning all three of their first league games under Arne Slot without conceding a single goal, Liverpool seemed to be lacking ideas on their return. A Virgil van Dijk header from a corner that flew over the goal was the closest they came to equalising.

Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had hit the nail on the head with his tactics, but it was his ingenious substitutions that brought his team the victory.

“Me and Callum [Hudson-Odoi] “We talked about it on the bench. If we come on, we will make a difference,” said Swedish winger Elanga.

“We come here to Liverpool and not many teams can beat them and play like we did – in the end we were rewarded with that.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was not impressed with Forest's defensive strategy but admitted it was very effective.

“We were weak defensively. We couldn't create much, we lacked quality today, we needed more energy. We lost three points unnecessarily today,” he said.