Forest 0 Liverpool 1: Jota late winner sends Reds into FA Cup semi-finals and keeps Quadruple dream alive

TO win one trophy, let alone four pieces of silverware, you need a bit of luck.

On a lively night in the East Midlands which whisked us back to an era when these two were rivals, Liverpool properly got away with one.

The team chasing the quadruple were so average that a desperate Jurgen Klopp delivered his own quadruple, making four changes in a desperate bid to try and spark his team into some form of life.

And Klopp was thankful for a 78th minute strike from Diogo Jota – following a brilliant cross from Kostas Tsimikas – although some angles suggested that it was offside although VAR ruled otherwise.

That well-taken, close-range came just a couple minutes after Philipp Zinckernagel wasted a terrific opportunity to put Forest ahead and rewrite a happy chapter into what has been a few miserable years at Forest.

Revitalised under Steve Cooper in the Championship, Forest also had chances at the end and Klopp will know his team will have to be infinitely better against Manchester City in the semi-finals.

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They will be, of course. And Liverpool will also hope to start with Mo Salah, who failed to make the trip with injury. Equally, Liverpool missed Sadio Mane who was rested ahead of Senegal’s World Cup play-off with Egypt.

Because Liverpool, despite making seven changes from the 2-0 win at Arsenal, looked a bit tired and those who came into the team – including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harvey Elliott  – did not do themselves any favours.

After what has been a jam-packed few weeks, Klopp will be grateful to have a few days off.

Because it will be a hell of a week when the teams returns. Liverpool are back with Watford at home on April 2, Benfica in the Champions League three days later followed by the Premier League battle with Manchester City on April 10.

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So, City will now have a direct influence on whether Liverpol can win two more trophies. If they meet again in Europe, it will be the final.

If Liverpool do, somehow win four pieces of silverware, they will point back to this match in Nottingham as a key one as it could easily have slipped out of their grasp.

These teams were sparring partners in the late 1970s with this fixture one of the biggest games in English football – and they shared the European Cup in five successive years.

Yet Forest had not faced Liverpool since 1999 and there was not an empty seat to be seen which is a real rarity these days, even for games which are officially sold out.

It was no surprise that the atmosphere was brilliant and the home fans, as you would expect, chanting the name of Brian Clough.

Cooper’s team went on the front foot and caused a few scares in the visiting defence.

Joe Gomez and Fabinho had half chances while Bobby Firmino delivered a desperately poor finish by his standards when he attempted to chip the ball over Ethan Horvath.

One of the moments of a thoroughly watchable tie was Joe Lolley bringing a huge, deafening roar from the home crowd when he breezed past Naby Keita as though he was a Sunday League player.

Lolley had some decent moments down the right to test Kostas Tsimikas who was playing due to the absence of Andy Robertson.

Klopp suggested beforehand that Robertson had been struck by Covid after claiming ‘it’s finally got him.”

The Liverpool manager raced down the tunnel at half-time looking suitably unimpressed and in the second half, his team struggled even more.

Still unhappy with what he was seeing, Klopp made his four changes with Luis Diaz, Jordan Henderson, Taki Minamino and Thiago Alcantara coming on.

Yet there was no immediate reaction. Instead. in the 76th minute, came that golden chance for Forest.

Had Zinckernagal got his shot on target, after Brennan Johnson raced down the left and crossed superbly, we could have been talking about the result of the season.

But Zinckernagal somehow steered his shot wide and unbelievably but entirely predictably, Liverpool scored in their next attack two minutes later. 

It was good play from Tsimikas who checked inside past Djed Spence and his right-footed cross was met at the far post by Jota, who had appeared unnoticed with Jack Colback having switched off.

There were more chances at the end for Forest with the normally super-cool Virgil van Dijk looking flustered.

Yates went down under a challenge from Alisson and after a VAR check there was no penalty.

Yates and Cafu could have sent the game into extra-time but Allison left the pitch with a clean sheet and Liverpool still dream of what seemed an impossible clean sweep.

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Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in the Carabao Cup for their first domestic Cup success for a decade.

The second one could come a few months later.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk