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Exhausted, injury-hit and relying on a bunch of academy prospects, Liverpool continue to pull off victories in the business end of Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge.
No Premier League win by the Reds has ever been sealed as late as the one at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez came off the bench and glanced home a header in the ninth minute of stoppage time to sink Forest 1-0 and move Liverpool four points clear.
There were angry scenes among Forest players and coaching staff after the final whistle, with even club owner Evangelos Marinakis coming down to the touchline to express his unhappiness.
Eight minutes of time had been officially added on by the referee, which was perhaps the cause of Forest’s complaints along with a potential infringement in Liverpool’s area in stoppage time.
Marinakis reportedly stormed down the players’ tunnel and confronted match officials, fuming over referee Paul Tierney halting the game with Forest on the attack in stoppage time for a head injury check on Ibrahima Konate. The French defender got straight back up once play resumed.
He reportedly shouted “respect the players, this happens every week” at the whistleblower.
Security staff intervened as Marinakis followed the match officials all the way to their dressing room.
Coach Steven Reid was sent off and Felipe, an unused sub, was also booked for his protest amid ugly scenes.
It was a sixth straight win in all competitions for Liverpool — and a fourth in an 11-day span that included an extra-time victory over Chelsea in the League Cup final last weekend.
“If you’d told me 12 days ago we would win all four games, I would have said no chance — it was impossible,” said Klopp, who will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after nearly nine years.
“In the circumstances, winning the games is ridiculous.”
Second-placed Manchester City will look to restore the gap to Liverpool to one point by beating Manchester United at home in the derby on Sunday. Then, next for Liverpool and City in the league – a seismic meeting at Anfield.
Even though Liverpool’s injuries are relenting somewhat, the likes of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones are still missing.
Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring a goal against Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Klopp started 19-year-old Bobby Clark in midfield alongside redeployed defender Joe Gomez. Jayden Danns, an 18-year-old forward, came on as a second-half substitute for his league debut.
“What the boys have squeezed out was special,” Klopp said. “This game didn’t go easy for us. We didn’t have a great rhythm and the boys felt the intensity for the first time.”
Arsenal, a point behind City in third, visit last-placed Sheffield United on Monday.
In the battle for fourth, Aston Villa responded to Tottenham’s come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace by scoring an 89th-minute winner at Luton.
Lucas Digne headed in the clincher for Villa in a 3-2 win at Kenilworth Road after the visitors squandered a 2-0 lead. Villa’s Ollie Watkins scored in the 24th and 38th minutes to move to 16 goals in the league, behind only Man City’s Erling Haaland on 17.
Villa are fourth, five points above Spurs, having played one game more.
Tottenham produced a dazzling spell of three goals in 11 second-half minutes against Palace after falling behind to Eberechi Eze’s curling free kick in the 59th.
Timo Werner — with his first goal for Tottenham — Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min netted for the hosts.
Chelsea couldn’t give Mauricio Pochettino the present of a victory on his 52nd birthday. Instead, the Argentine manager got the bird from fans in a 2-2 draw at Brentford.
When Yoane Wissa put Brentford 2-1 ahead with a spectacular overhead kick in the 69th, Chelsea’s away contingent began singing the name of former manager Jose Mourinho as well as calling for Pochettino to go.
“I was asked before if I feel the love from the fans — no,” Pochettino said after the game. “I’m not worried. We need to accept this relationship. You win your relationship through winning games.
“I will continue to work and try to change this perception. The team is fighting.”
The Blues rescued a point through Axel Disasi’s header from Cole Palmer’s cross in the 83rd, leaving them 11th in the table.
There were also 3-0 home wins for Newcastle against Wolves and Fulham against Brighton, while West Ham won at Everton 3-1 thanks to two stoppage-time goals.
with AAP
© AAP
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