Key events
68 min: It’s ebbing away, this game. Feels like one goal wins it, though the defences are very much on top.
66 min: An ironic smile on the face of Mohamed Salah, after he gets no change from a clash with Neco Williams.
Two Forest changes: Ndoye on for Hudson-Odoi while Hutchinson is replaced by Bakwa.
64 min: Aina’s cross briefly looks as if it might end up in the net, but drifts over to Liverpool’s relief.
Latest score: Sunderland 0-2 Fulham (Raul Jimenez)
Jimenez scored in the earlier game this season between the team. What a job Marco Silva is doing, by the way.
63 min: Slot still looks annoyed on the sideline. Vitor Pereira is in perpetual motion. This game is fully in the balance.
61 min: News from Crystal Palace, where Ladislav Krejci of Wolves has been red-carded for a second yellow. It’s still 0-0.
59 min: Liverpool now pressing high, too. Forest getting far less time on the ball.l
Latest score: Sunderland 0-1 Fulham (Jimenez, 54)
58 min: Much better from Liverpool who are now controlling possession in the manner that would be expected. The game has slowed down a little, too, which may be to Arne Slot’s tastes.
57 min: On second glance that’s a fine save from Ortega, and made harder by the outbreak of actual sun in the Nottingham area.
55 min: Salah does well to direct the ball back to Jones and Ortega is asked to make a snap save.
54 min: Some noise from the Liverpool fans. The fields of Anfield Road are sung for. It’s been a long time since there were actual fields in the Anfield Road area.
52 min: Liverpool at least look as if they intend to attack in this half. Konate releases Mac Allster who gets his shot blocked.
50 min: Milenkovic loses the ball when he is back defending to Salah but there are no consequences. Salah can do nothing with the ball.
49 min: Ekitike clears the corner as first man. The set pieces have not been good in this game. Milenkovic heads over from Hudson-Odoi’s cross that wasn’t quite the right angle for the big defender.
47 min: Liverpool force a corner, their first. It soon results in a second. Forest struggle to clear that but eventually Hutchinson comes away and wins a Forest corner.
46 min: N0 changes at half-time. Jamie Carragher, on Sky’s broadcast, has called that “one of the worst halves I have seen from Liverpool all season”. That’s saying something.
Tony Barr gets in touch: “Not sure how much Slot had a say in the transfers, but let’s play this out:
“Trent leaves on a free was definitely up to him. Not much LFC can do if a player decides they want to play for Los Blancos for truckload of Euros. Arne, would you like the best striker in the PL, other than Halaand? Hmm let me think about that…Arne would you like Germany’s generational attacking pkahmaking talent? Hmmm let me think about that.
”Hindsight is 20:20. The best time for renewal is when things are going well. I’d rather look at the gamble taken to not to fully bolster the central defence or not find a fledgling replacement for Mo…”
Ian Copestake gets back in touch: “We might see a sub subbed at halftime with Gomez coming on for Jones. Then the rightback curse will rub its hands again.”
And from Brian Kitt: “Freddie Woodman on the bench for Liverpool sounds like he could tell the Forest for the trees.”
Liverpool have two goalies on the bench for some reason.
Dave Estherby gets in touch: “I think it’s interesting that the whole, “Slot won with Klopp’s team” thing only started at the beginning of this season after a pretty disastrous summer in the transfer market; Letting (one of) your best player(s) leave for free and not replacing him, being sold an absolute pup by Newcastle, not recognizing the captain’s race is run, not getting a better backup for an injury-prone goalkeeper and finally, well, Florian Wirtz. Slot had at least a hand in all these decisions.”
Half-time scores in the Premier League
It’s the best league in the world, don’t you know?
Half-time: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool
It’s been bad from Liverpool, good from Forest, so Liverpool ought to be relieved while Forest must be frustrated. They have been excellent in all but the scoring goals and creating proper chances discipline. A word for Liverpool’s defenders, who have been put through quite the workload but held firm.
45+3 min: Milenkovic launches one over the bar, and that should be the end of the action for the first 45.
45+2 min: Some loud screams from the bench? Slot or Pereira? You decide.
45+1 min: Three minutes were added on. Liverpool are about to feel the lash of the Slot tongue in the dressing room. In midfield an attack, they have been not much short of dreadful.
45 min: Forest push on for the goal their first half deserves. Liverpool’s defenders deserve some credit for their good work. Anderson gets chance to shoot but drifts his attempt over the bar. Pereira is full of angst once more.
43 min: Another timely block, this time from Szoboszlai, as Gibbs-White tries to shoot. The one-way traffic continues. But the corner is again a waste. Will Forest live to regret this?
41 min: Alisson is forced to tip behind when Hutchinson scoops in a cross. Corner ball. This one goes deep and the danger recedes for now. Jesus misdirects his header when the ball comes back in.
40 min: Van Dijk has made a goal saving intervention just when Igor Jesus shaped to shoot. Vitor Pereira throws his head back in angst.
39 min: Ian Copestake gets in touch: “May the Liverpool players never have days off before a game. They still seem to be on a beach.”
Thought the same of Chelsea’s Dubai crew on Saturday.
Tim Woods did too: “No radio commentary of the game in Germany, and a lot of pubs have stopped showing English games due to the cost. So I am gratefully following your updates, with Berlin radio helping the afternoon along; outings for Roxette, Alphaville and even Johnny Hates Jazz so far!”
Shattered dreams.
38 min: Gravenberch rages when he’s penalised for fouling Anderson. This is a frustrated Liverpool team.
36 min: Salah gets chance to cross. And it’s awful. His descent this season has been uncomfortable to watch.
35 min: Forest still looking for that golden moment. Perhaps inviting on Liverpool can open up space. Hugo Ekitike – forgot he was playing.
34 min: Another loose Salah touch – he’s not had many touches at all – and Sangare takes the ball off him.
32 min: Van Dijk has taken another blow to the head, after Igor Jesus clatters the ball into his face. Curtis Jones been shifted to right-back, it seems. With Szoboszlai to midfield.
30 min: It’s been a poor half hour from Liverpool but they remain level.
28 min: Florian Wirtz, in fetching woolly hat, is sat in the stands. Liverpool all at sea as Alisson has to skid out of goal to prevent a corner as Konate dallies. The long throw is not good, a waste of a situation.
26 min: Lovely piece of control from Anderson, who kills a high ball stone dead with w waft of his boot. Forest have some good players, and Anderson leads the list.
25 min: Gibbs-White is fouled by Konate, whose considerable bulk lands on his victim’s foot in the aftermath. An accident but that will bruise.
24 min: Kari Tulinius gets in touch: “Early days and all that, but Vitor Pereira’s Trees seem like a trickier side to play against than Dyche’s. There’s a lot more closing down of opponents with the ball, and attacks are more frenetic. On the whole they run a lot more. Difficult to play against, but given the added workload of European football, which Pereira didn’t have with Wolves, I imagine that Forest will tire after a few weeks of this.”
23 min: Fair to say Wirtz is being missed? Forest continue to be all over Liverpool who cannot keep hold of the ball at the moment.
