Match reportDiogo Jota's equaliser earns Liverpool 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest

The Portugal forward and Kostas Tsimikas were introduced from the bench in the 65th minute of Tuesday’s Premier League contest and immediately combined to cancel out Chris Wood’s early opener, as Tsimikas’ inswinging corner was headed in by Jota.

The Reds then set about finding a winner but found Matz Sels in inspired form, as the Forest goalkeeper made a string of excellent saves to thwart Jota, Mohamed Salah – who also saw an effort cleared off the line – and Cody Gakpo.

Arne Slot’s league leaders were therefore forced to settle for a point, which means they sit six points above second-placed Forest with a game in hand on Tuesday's opponents.

Team

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai were the only players to retain their places in Liverpool’s starting XI from the Emirates FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley, with Ibrahima Konate among those to return.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate (Jota, 65), Diaz (Jones, 75), Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo, Robertson (Tsimikas, 65), Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold.

Unused subs: Kelleher, Endo, Chiesa, Elliott, Quansah, Bradley.

First half

With Forest content to sit back and soak up pressure, the visitors patiently probed in the early stages, with Ryan Gravenberch shooting over the crossbar following a one-two with Salah.

But the hosts’ first counter-attack resulted in the opening goal eight minutes in. Callum Hudson-Odoi won the ball on halfway and quickly fed Anthony Elanga, who in turn slipped in Wood and the striker’s angled finish found the bottom corner.

The pattern of the game – Liverpool dominating possession but Forest allowing them to do so – had already been set before Wood’s strike and it continued throughout the first half.

Half-chances came and went for Slot’s team, who looked certain to equalise when Gakpo located Szoboszlai with a fine cross, only for former Red Neco Williams to somehow block the No.8’s header from point-blank range.

And the visitors failed to maximise their best opportunity of the first period when Luis Diaz, found by a raking Alexander-Arnold pass, was unable to play in Gakpo in a two-on-two situation.

Second half

There was no change in momentum after the interval as Liverpool pushed for a leveller.

Again, though, clear sights of Sels’ goal were proving tough to come by and midway through the half, Slot turned to his bench.

To say the impact of Jota and fellow substitute Tsimikas was swift would be an understatement, as the left-back swung in a corner with his first touch and Jota nodded home from close range with his.

The Reds were buoyant now and Jota saw a low drive saved by Sels, before the Forest goalkeeper somehow managed to deny the No.20 as he seemed certain to score again.

Sels then tipped a Salah curler over the bar, before the Egyptian saw a drive cleared off the line by Ola Aina.

Liverpool kept applying the pressure in stoppage time but Gakpo’s deflected attempt was tipped wide, meaning the match ended all square.