Forest’s fire is too much for Liverpool

City Ground erupts with joy after ex-Red Awoniyi deals Klopp another major blow

EVEN Brian Clough couldn’t have experienced noise like this at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest’s first win over Liverpool since 1996, one that lifted them off the foot of the Premier League, was greeted with an explosion of sound rarely heard in the modern game.

Taiwo Awoniyi was the goal hero against his former club having spent six years at Liverpool without playing in the first team because of work permit issues.

Forest manager Steve Cooper, odds-on for the sack a few weeks ago, had unexpectedly defeated the club where he used to coach at the academy, and defender Neco Williams, who only left Anfield for Forest in the summer, kept Mo Salah quiet. Keeper Dean Henderson made some incredible saves in stoppage time and ended up celebrating in the crowd at the final whistle. It was that kind of day.

‘We had four or five no-brainer chances from set-pieces,’ said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp about his side’s wastefulness, though he could have also used a lengthy injury list as mitigation.

For Cooper, a first win since August 14 — and one reminiscent of the great European Cup clashes between the clubs in the late Seventies — could change the season around. ‘We’ve got to make it a turning point. That’s what we discussed in the dressing room. Winners keep on winning,’ he said. ‘We needed a fresh team today. We had options and felt T [Taiwo] would be a real handful for their defenders. He proved it.’ This was a proud Forest win, and dramatic, and chaotic. The five minutes of injury time alone could have filled a book. Virgil van Dijk miscued a free-kick from Trent AlexanderArnold and then saw a header saved on the goal-line by Henderson, who was chest-bumped by team-mates in celebration.

In the last throes, Henderson tipped over from Salah and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson went up for a corner, hoping to repeat his goalscoring heroics against West

Brom last year. This time, Forest broke and nearly added a very late second when Brennan Johnson hit the post from long range while the goal lay unguarded.

When referee Paul Tierney blew the final whistle, it was emotional, and loud. The last time Forest had beaten Liverpool 26 years ago, Steve Stone scored the goal. ‘It’s a great win and I want to see the boys even hungrier now,’ said Cooper.

Liverpool arrived as hot favourites but Klopp’s line-up gave the home side a lift. Thiago’s ear infection meant he joined Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Naby Keita, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Darwin Nunez on the unavailable list, while Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson were put on the bench with half an eye on Wednesday’s Champions League visit to Ajax.

Forest proceeded to have just 25 per cent possession but were always in the game with Cheikhou

Kouyate and Jesse Lingard testing Alisson. The half-time whistle was greeted with thunderous approval by home fans with the scoreline still 0-0.

Liverpool may have suspected the worst shortly before the interval. Van Dijk looked certain to score with a close-range header but instead decided to nod back to Roberto Firmino, who missed. ‘Virge thought he was offside — he wasn’t,’ said Klopp pointedly.

Klopp, who could face a touchline ban next week after accepting an FA charge of improper conduct for his berating of officials against Manchester City last week, tried to stay calm but all the good work of wins against City and West Ham in the last week were undone after 55 minutes. Joe Gomez wrestled

Awoniyi to the ground just inside the Forest half and from the resulting set-piece, Scott McKenna found Steve Cook by the far touchline.

The defender’s cross was initially mishit by Awoniyi on to the post but the Nigerian reacted well to fire home the rebound.

Awoniyi had been sent abroad on loan seven times by Liverpool before signing for Union Berlin, who then sold him to Forest last summer for £17million.

Morgan Gibbs-White was denied by a great block from James Milner as Forest threatened to make it 2-0 and Klopp sent on AlexanderArnold and Henderson to try and mount a comeback.

Forest almost scored again when Alisson denied Johnson but Liverpool poured forward with growing urgency in the closing stages.

Van Dijk missed two good chances, one his own fault, the second due to Henderson’s reflexes.

Klopp has blamed pitches, weather conditions and referees for past defeats. This time the attention was on the profligacy of his own players in front of goal.

‘I can’t explain the result. Not really,’ he grimaced. ‘I saw our spirit but who can we blame for not finishing situations off? It was just us. This was a big blow. They defended with everyone they had but it wasn’t world-class defending because we had chances. We just didn’t use them.’

Cooper, who signed 23 players in the summer, did his best to stay realistic afterwards. ‘It is only one win and we are still not in the league position we want to be in,’ he said.

The rejoicing of Forest fans who stayed outside the stadium for an hour after the final whistle showed they thought it a special day.