Liverpool’s English Premier League title challenge suffered another massive blow in a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest as Erling Haaland returned Manchester City to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Chelsea and Manchester United missed the chance to close on the leaders as Casemiro’s stoppage time header canceled out Jorginho’s 87th-minute penalty in a 1-1 draw.
City’s first defeat of the season to Liverpool last weekend looked to have jump-started the Reds’ season, but manager Juergen Klopp’s depleted side slumped to a shock defeat at the City Ground.
Photo: AP
Forest began the day at the bottom of the table, but their first win since August lifted them to within one point of safety.
Taiwo Awoniyi, who spent six years at Anfield without making an appearance, scored the only goal 10 minutes into the second half.
“To score against Liverpool is a day I will never forget,” Awoniyi said.
Without the injured Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, and with Thiago Alcantara missing due to illness, Liverpool lacked the guile to break Forest down from open play, but they did have plenty of opportunities from set-pieces as Virgil van Dijk missed three big chances.
“How we cannot score from the set-pieces, I have no idea,” Klopp said. “That’s it pretty much. So the performance I can explain, the result not really.”
Defeat leaves Liverpool still down in seventh, 11 points adrift of leaders Arsenal, having played a game more.
United missed the chance to leapfrog Chelsea into fourth, but were happy to salvage a point thanks to Casemiro’s first goal for the club.
Scott McTominay looked to have cost the Red Devils the game when he stupidly hauled down Armando Broja from a corner late on and Jorginho coolly converted the resulting spot-kick.
Chelsea remain unbeaten under manager Graham Potter, but back-to-back draws leaves the Blues six points behind Arsenal.
Casemiro rose highest to power in Luke Shaw’s cross despite Kepa Arrizabalaga’s best attempts to keep it out in the 94th minute.
“I have to make a big compliment to my team. To fight back with a fourth game in 10 days, you see the spirit and how they deal with setbacks,” said United manager Erik ten Hag, who had left Cristiano Ronaldo out of his squad as punishment for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur in their midweek game.
Normal service was resumed at the Etihad Stadium as City moved to within a point of the top with Haaland taking his tally for the season to 22.
The Norwegian showed his immense pace and power by latching onto Ederson’s long ball, rounding Robert Sanchez and barreling Adam Webster off the ball to tap into an empty net. He then smashed home his 17th Premier League goal of the campaign from the penalty spot.
“He is there to score the goals,” Kevin de Bruyne said of his prolific teammate. “It’s just the start, he is doing what he needs to do.”
Meanwhile, Everton ended a run of three straight defeats by beating Crystal Palace 3-0 at Goodison Park.
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