NOTTINGHAM, England — Arne Slaughter is no stranger to serenading the touchline. The Liverpool boss was well-liked at former club Feyenoord Rotterdam and quickly became accustomed to hearing fans singing his praises from the stands at Anfield and away games across the country for his team's so masterful Sweeped almost all opponents.
But Nottingham Forest fans made Slott the center of their attention on Tuesday night as Nuno Espirito Santo's side struggled to deny the visitors a push for the Premier League title, ultimately holding Liverpool 1-1 at the City Stadium. 1 draw.
"Arn Slott, something happened again!" Chris Wood (Chris Wood) scored his 13th league goal of the season to help Forest take the lead within 8 minutes, making Forest fans cheer. Indeed, for just over an hour into the match, Forest looked on the verge of handing Liverpool their second league defeat of the season, having also dispatched Slott's side at Anfield in September.
It was a testament to the Reds' character and quality that Liverpool fought back to seal a valuable point through Diogo Jota's 66th-minute header. However, Tuesday night's epic clash at the City Ground provided further evidence - if any were needed - that there are plenty of twists and turns in this title race.
If this game had been billed as a potential title decider on the eve of this Premier League season, few would have noticed. After all, Forest ranked 17th last season, just 6 points away from the relegation zone.
It was for this reason that September's shock win at Anfield caused such a stir, with even Slott himself admitting that Liverpool's conquerors "wouldn't normally be in the top ten" that day. But the win proved to be more than a blip, as Forest continued to impress, exceeding expectations and climbing to second in the table.
A win over the league leaders on Tuesday would see Forest move within three points of the top spot, a prospect perhaps ingrained in the minds of Slaughter's men as they toiled on the banks of the River Trent. weighing on their minds.
Admittedly, it hasn't been a particularly happy New Year for Liverpool. After bidding farewell to 2024 with a win over struggling West Ham United, the first two weeks of 2025 have seen cracks begin to appear in the Reds' previously impenetrable armor.
Liverpool's 4-0 victory over League Two side Accrington Stanley at the weekend was their first win since the start of the year, having previously drawn with Manchester United in the league and narrowly defeated Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup Tottenham. Semifinals.
All early signs seemed to point to Liverpool being in a mini-crisis against Forest, with poor decision-making and inconsistent finishing meaning Slott's side went into the break without a single shot on target.
Liverpool did improve slightly after the break, but it wasn't until Slott returned to the bench that the team made a breakthrough. The introduction of Jota and Kostas Tsimikas in place of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson proved to be a masterstroke, with Liverpool equalizing just 22 seconds after the substitutions; Tower scored with a header from Tsimikas' corner kick.
After that, Slaughter's side seemed to regain the sparkle they had had for much of the season so far, with only Mats Sayers inspired in the Forest goal and some admirable last-ditch defending. Keep Liverpool at bay.
"I couldn't have asked for anything more today," Slaughter admitted in the postgame press conference. "I think most people will talk very positively about the second half but if you go on this pitch against a team that is in such good form and they barely miss a chance in every game and have so much threat on the counterattack today. We only conceded one counterattack in 98 minutes.”
While Forest fans may disagree with Slott's statement, Liverpool's second-half performance at least ensured they maintained a six-point advantage at the top of the table. The league leaders no longer look infallible, but a look at the rest of Tuesday night's results proves irrefutably that they don't need to be.
Manchester City and Chelsea have both dropped points, while Arsenal, who face arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, have been far from their best in recent weeks with striker Gabriel Jesus now sidelined with an injury. Talisman Bukayo Saka sat on the sidelines together.
Of course, Forest remain a threat and they proved on Tuesday that they are capable of going toe-to-toe with the best.
"I don't think they're here because of luck," Slaughter admitted. "They are difficult for every team to play against. They have had some tough away games against Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, us. It shows they are a team that can compete at the top of the league table ”
However, while Forest will continue to apply pressure, Liverpool must keep their heads above water. This may not be the championship team it looked like just a few weeks ago, but for now at least, Slaughter's team remains firmly in the driver's seat.