Liverpool kept up their pursuit of European qualification as they battled to a rip-roaring 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
An exhilarating second half saw all five goals scored - with Diogo Jota firing a double and Mo Salah coming up with the match-winner to deliver the Reds all three points and move them up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Liverpool dominated the first half but were unable to land a killer blow. In the fifth minute, Cody Gakpo created space for himself outside the area but fired a shot off target.
On 27 minutes, Virgil van Dijk got his head on the end of a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick but saw his effort tipped over the bar by Forest keeper Kaylor Navas.
Then three minutes later, Gakpo must have thought he’d given the Reds the lead when he met Alexander-Arnold’s corner with an improvised volley - yet Neco Williams, who left Anfield for the City Ground last summer, blocked on the line.
Jurgen Klopp’s troops continued to bang on the door but could not breach Forest, with Diogo Jota heading wide in the 39th minute.
Yet the game burst into life after the break, with Liverpool going ahead just two minutes inside the restart. Unsurprisingly, it was engineered through an Alexander-Arnold dead-ball as Forest failed to deal with his corner. That allowed Fabinho to head across goal and Jota was there to head home from close range.
However, the home side’s advantage was last just four minutes. Steve Cooper’s men profited from Liverpool being sucked over to the left hand side which gave Williams all sorts of space. He cracked a shot that Robertson could only partially blocked and Alisson was left wrong-footed and could only get a hand to the effort.
Liverpool would restore their advantage in the 55th minute as Jota notched a brace for a second straight game. The Portuguese took down Andy Robertson’s free-kick on his chest before steering a left-footed shot on the spin into the far corner.
More drama would ensure, however, as Forest levelled for a second time on 67 minutes with the help of two deflections from Ibrahima Konate and Alexander-Arnold.
However, it would be that man Salah who’d come up with the decisive moment. Alexander-Arnold sent in another inch-perfect free-kick and Salah beat the offside trap to finish into the bottom corner via the post.
Klopp’s men did have to survive late pressure but held on to earn back-to-back victories and keep their slim chances of finishing in the top four alive.
Here’s how we rated the Liverpool players.
1. Alisson Becker - 7
Made one comfortable save in the first half but otherwise untested. Little chance with either goal but misplaced pass gave Forest the throw-in that led to Gibbs-White’s goal.
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold - 8
At the heart of everything in the first half while his set-pieces proved so dangerous. Carried on that way in the second half as his deliveries yielded Jota’s first goal and then Salah’s intervention. Thriving in his new role.
3. Ibrahima Konate - 7
Made a foul after about 10 seconds but covered the space so well in the first half down the right when Forest looked to break while he went on a couple of marauding runs. Had a real battle with Taiwo Awoniyi in the second period.
4. Virgil van Dijk - 7
Loose pass led to a rare Forest chance but was otherwise sound in the first half and went close to the opener with a fine header that was saved. Put under pressure in the second period as Forest went in search of goals. Made two important tackles in the closing stages.