Player Ratings: Alexis Mac Allister’s late winner rescues Liverpool in 5 rated performances

Liverpool escaped the City Ground with a 1-0 win thanks to a 97th-minute Mac Allister goal, overcoming a disjointed performance to stay alive in the hunt for Champions League football.

Liverpool managed to snatch a dramatic win seven minutes into added time, overcoming a stubborn Nottingham Forest side through an Alexis Mac Allister strike.

In a match that appeared destined for a stalemate after a disallowed VAR goal, the Argentine midfielder found the net from close range, keeping Arne Slot’s top-four ambitions firmly on track despite a largely sluggish collective performance.

​Liverpool Player Ratings 

​Alisson – 5

The Brazilian shot-stopper began the match with a sharp save to deny Callum Hudson-Odoi, maintaining his trademark reliability in standard goal-tending. However, his distribution was uncharacteristically erratic, and he looked vulnerable under high balls, nearly gifting Forest an opening late in the game.

​Dominik Szoboszlai – 6

Starting in an unfamiliar right-back role, the Hungarian looked out of his element early on. A tactical shift to the midfield after 30 minutes saw his performance stabilize; while he lacked his usual explosive impact, his composure and late delivery ultimately provided the cross that sparked the winning goal.

​Ibrahima Konate – 8

Standing out as the most dominant figure on the pitch, Konate was a physical titan. He won nearly every aerial duel and acted as a “one-man wall” to frustrate the Forest attack, though a few clumsy fouls in the second half were the only minor blemishes on a Man of the Match display.

​Virgil van Dijk – 5

It was a disjointed afternoon for the captain, who struggled with unforced errors and poor passing early on. He did recover to make a vital interception against Igor Jesus, and his contribution to the final sequence earned him the technical assist for the winning goal.

​Milos Kerkez – 6

The defender put in a tenacious shift, successfully neutralizing the threat of Omari Hutchinson for much of the game. While he was one of the more consistent performers in terms of effort and defensive positioning, his contribution going forward left much to be desired.

​Ryan Gravenberch – 3

A disappointing outing for the Dutchman, who seemed overwhelmed by the intensity of the midfield battle. He was frequently careless in possession and failed to provide the control or transition play Liverpool required, leading to a very low impact on the game.

​Alexis Mac Allister – 5

For the vast majority of the match, Mac Allister struggled, losing individual duels and failing to dictate the tempo. However, he redeemed an otherwise poor performance by being in the right place at the right time to slot home the winner just moments after having another goal chalked off.

​Mohamed Salah – 3

This was a performance to forget for the Egyptian forward, who looked remarkably wasteful. He struggled to beat his marker, overhit crucial crosses, and lacked his usual clinical edge, leaving the pitch with a surprising smile despite his ineffective contribution.

​Curtis Jones – 4

A late inclusion following an injury to Florian Wirtz, Jones never quite found his rhythm. He was physically outmatched at times and surrendered possession too easily, and although he forced a good save from Ortega, it wasn’t enough to mask a difficult afternoon.

​Cody Gakpo – 4

While he showed slightly more intent than his attacking counterparts, Gakpo still failed to truly threaten. He provided one dangerous ball for Salah, but he generally struggled to break down the Forest defense before being substituted late in the second half.

​Hugo Ekitike – 3

The Frenchman had a largely anonymous game, failing to capitalize on the few opportunities that came his way. His struggles were capped off by a wasted chance in the dying seconds, where he headed a golden opportunity directly at the goalkeeper instead of finding the corner.

​Substitutes of Note

​Rio Ngumoha – 7

Coming on for Salah in the 77th minute, the youngster provided an immediate spark. He looked far more dangerous than the players he replaced, delivering a brilliant cross that should have been converted, and made a strong case for more regular playing time.