Alexis Mac Allister popped up with a 97th-minute winner to clinch Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest as Vitor Pereira endured a dramatic return to the Premier League with his new club.

The Argentinian had already had a potential winner disallowed eight minutes before, but he was in the right place to get the three points Liverpool needed to draw level with fourth-place Chelsea.

Forest, who were looking to open up a five-point gap over the relegation zone, had been on top in the first half, with Callum Hudson-Odoi holding off Dominik Szoboszlai, only to see his poked shot smothered by Alisson.

Elliot Anderson also sent a low drive wide as the hosts failed to take their first-half chances, and Liverpool grew into the game in the second half.

Curtis Jones – brought in after Florian Wirtz was injured in the warm-up – saw a close-range effort well saved by Stefan Ortega.

But it was not until the closing stages that they really turned the screw. Hugo Ekitike's header was pushed away by Ortega, with Ola Aina's clearance hitting Mac Allister's elbow and bouncing over the line, with the goal disallowed for a VAR review.

Mac Allister did not let his head drop, though, and he was in place to slide the rebound of Virgil van Dijk's saved header in from close range, with this goal surviving a VAR check for offside against the defender.

Data Debrief: Liverpool find a way

Last season, Liverpool found a way to win games that looked to be getting away from them, and they showed that trait again at the City Ground.

At 96:10, the Reds scored their fourth-latest winning goal on record (from 2006-07) in the Premier League, with two of those four coming in their win at Forest in the competition.

It was also the 48th time they have scored a winner in the 90th minute (or later) in the competition, at least 12 more than any other club.

Mac Allister ended a run of 27 league appearances without scoring; he added 0.72 expected goals (xG) to Liverpool's 1.76 total, scoring with his only effort on target.