Premier League: Nottingham Forest’s Awoniyi guns down Liverpool

Liverpool were beaten 1-0 away at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.

Former Reds striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, scored the only goal of the game in the 55th minute to give the hosts victory at the City Ground.

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Jürgen Klopp’s men created a number of chances throughout the afternoon but it was Forest who ended up with the points in the clubs’ first top-flight meeting since 1999.

The first chance of the contest fell to the visitors after nine minutes.

Elliott’s perfect crossfield switch was brought down brilliantly by Fabio Carvalho inside the area, with his second touch forcing a save from Dean Henderson.

From the second of two corners afterwards, Roberto Firmino headed just wide from Milner’s out-swinging delivery.

Forest then tested Alisson Becker for the first time, when Cheikou Kouyate’s shot from outside the area was straight at the Liverpool goalkeeper.

The Reds created a trio of half-chances midway through the first half but Mohamed Salah (twice) and Carvalho did not trouble Henderson and the Forest goal.

The hosts were looking to punish on a breakaway just after the half-hour mark, as Awoniyi slipped in a pass to Jesse Lingard, whose drilled shot was claimed easily by Alisson.

Another big chance fell to Klopp’s men shortly prior to half-time.

A Milner cross from the right, after his initial corner had been cleared, found Virgil van Dijk free at the back post.

The No.4 then unsuccessfully tried to head back across goal for Firmino to tap in, instead of going for the target himself.

Liverpool created an opening with a free-kick routine early in the second period but it ended with Carvalho curling over from inside the box.

But it was from a free-kick at the other end that produced the opener.

A switch across to Steve Cook was then drilled into the box, where Awoniyi’s initial stab at goal struck the post before he reacted quickest to convert the rebound.

The Reds nearly responded instantly but Elliott’s powerful effort, following Milner’s through ball, was turned behind for a corner by the Forest goalkeeper.

Committed defending from Milner ensured it remained 1-0 in the 58th minute, when the No.7 was at full stretch to deflect Morgan Gibbs-White’s hit over after a counter.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – as well as Jordan Henderson – was introduced to the affair, and the No.66’s first corner saw a Firmino header bounce into the ground and just over the crossbar.

The game felt stretched approaching the final 20 minutes and a quick transition from the hosts resulted in Brennan Johnson nudging a finish towards goal that Alisson was required to palm out.

Dean Henderson denied Liverpool an equaliser five minutes from time when he pushed out Alexander-Arnold’s powerful header from a Robertson clip into the box.

Meanwhile, Alisson was called into action again, making himself big enough to divert Ryan Yates’ effort behind for a corner.

As the contest entered injury time, Dean Henderson produced a pair of vital saves to keep hold of the points. First he got a strong hand to bat away Van Dijk’s towering header from a corner, before tipping over a Salah effort in the aftermath of a long throw-in to frustrate the Reds further.