On 22/2 at City Ground, Liverpool struggled against Nottingham Forest, who were 4th from the bottom in the Premier League. The reigning champions controlled possession 53% of the time, managed 4 shots on target, and created little pressure. They had to wait until the 90+7th minute to secure a goal, thanks to a rebound shot from midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

"This was one of the most blatant robberies I've seen in the Premier League this season," said Jamie Carragher, the player with the second-most appearances in Liverpool's history, on Sky Sports. "The first half, in particular, was one of the worst performances."

Liverpool players celebrate a goal in the 90+7th minute of their 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, in Premier League round 27 on the evening of 22/2. Photo: Reuters

Amidst the difficulties, coach Arne Slot made a decisive move, bringing 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha onto the field in the 77th minute. The young forward injected new energy into the attack.

According to Carragher, Ngumoha's performance in his more than 15 minutes on the pitch was more impactful than the earlier displays by Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo. "That boy changed the game. He should be starting now," the former England international added.

For this match, Florian Wirtz experienced a back issue before kickoff. As a result, coach Slot had to bring in Curtis Jones, but Jones did not meet expectations. He lacked the decisive plays the team needed to score. "Jones touched the ball too much and was too blunt," Carragher stated. "That has been a problem throughout his career."

Despite the performance, the win against Nottingham was a crucial step for Liverpool. Slot's team is currently 6th in the Premier League, but they share 45 points with two teams ranked above them: Chelsea and Man Utd. Man Utd has played one less game.

Liverpool has 11 rounds remaining to enter the top 5, which would secure a Champions League spot. The Premier League leads the UEFA coefficient table, making it highly probable that 5 English teams will qualify for next season's Champions League.

Thanh Quy (according to Sky Sports)