Liverpool 3-2 Nottingham Forest: Liverpool dealt with relegation candidate Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. As a result, it did good business in the battle for a European ticket. Diogo Jota became the big man.
Spectacle at Anfield: star Jota shines on historic afternoon for Salah
Last Monday, The Reds seemed to be on their way back. When visiting Elland Road, Leeds United were completely played from pillar to post. On the basis of the unchained trident Cody Gakpo, Jota and Mohamed Salah, the floor was swept with the relegation candidate (1-6). And with the spectacular comeback against leader Arsenal (2-2) also fresh in the memory, confidence in Anfield had to be great. Especially given the form of Forest, who could not win once in the past ten games.
With Gakpo and also Orange captain Virgil van Dijk in the starting line-up, it had to happen. To save a last bit of hope for a Champions League ticket, Liverpool could not drop a stitch. It was Gakpo who also created danger, but the man in form could not cause trouble for the experienced goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Manager Jürgen Klopp’s team could not become very decisive in the first half, although the field dominance was clear. Van Dijk came closest, but his header was parried by Navas.
Jota on a roll after months of goal drought
Another three attempts by Gakpo and Van Dijk and the Portuguese Jota could not express the game image in the score. After tea the spell was broken. And it was Jota, who had been dry for a long time until last Monday, who struck. The attacker took advantage of a chaotic situation after a corner kick and opened the scoring.
What followed was a spectacular second half. Nota bene Neco Williams, child of the youth academy of Liverpool, reacted immediately. The right back leveled the score, but the unchained Jota also immediately replied. The Portuguese star brilliantly shot his fourth goal in six days against the ropes. And that was not the end of the cake.
Klopp’s formation seemed to have the game in the bag, until Van Dijk unfortunately headed away after a corner kick. The player from Breda placed the ball right in front of Morgan Gibbs-White. The attacking midfielder did not hesitate and shot well. Yet again the party lasted no more than three minutes. A free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold put things in order. The Englishman found Mohamed Salah, who hit the target and put Liverpool back in the lead.
His goal saw the Egyptian move up to sixth on Liverpool’s all-time top scorers list. And it also turned out to be the winning goal, making it a wonderful afternoon for Salah. The win lifted the home team to seventh place in the table, just behind Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
