Jota’s goal earns Liverpool 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest

Diogo Jota scored with his first touch after coming off the bench to secure a 1-1 draw for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest, as the home side climbed to second place in the Premier League.

Jota’s 66th-minute header, just 22 seconds after he and Kostas Tsimikas entered the pitch, cancelled out Chris Wood’s early strike and preserved Liverpool’s unbeaten away record in the league.

Forest, aiming for a seventh consecutive league win—a feat last achieved in 1922—took an eighth-minute lead through Wood’s composed finish from Anthony Elanga’s clever pass. The hosts defended resolutely and seemed on course to complete a league double over Liverpool.

However, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot’s second-half substitutions paid immediate dividends. Tsimikas delivered a pinpoint corner that Jota met with a glancing header to draw the Reds level.

Jota nearly turned the game in Liverpool’s favour with two more efforts, both brilliantly saved by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. Mohamed Salah also came close to scoring a winner, only for Ola Aina to make a vital clearance off the line in the dying moments.

Despite Liverpool’s dominance in the second half, Forest’s resilience earned them a well-deserved point. Sels was instrumental, making crucial saves to deny Jota and Salah, while Forest’s defensive organization frustrated Liverpool after a lacklustre opening period from the league leaders.

The result maintains Liverpool’s six-point lead at the top of the table, while Forest moves up to second, continuing their impressive run in the Premier League. Both teams will take positives as they push forward in the title race.