With their side on track to beat Liverpool 1-0 for the second time this season thanks to Chris Wood’s early goal, Nottingham Forest’s joyous supporters couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a shot at the opposition manager. As well as performing their own hilarious take on ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries, the home crowd also sang with glee: “It’s happening again, it’s happening again, Arne Slot, it’s happening again!”
In the end, the Forest fans were grateful for a point against the Premier League leaders, as Slot issued the perfect response to the taunts by making a double substitution that immediately drew Liverpool level midway through the second half, with Diogo Jota heading in Kostas Tsimikas’ corner. From that moment on, the visitors dominated and would have won the game had it not been for some sensational saves from Matz Sels and stirring last-ditch defending from Nikola Milenkovic & Co.
Indeed, while Liverpool’s forwards were left lamenting missed opportunities at the full-time whistle, the difference in defending was the real reason the game ended in a draw. Whereas a wonderfully well-organised Forest backline managed to restrict the Reds to one goal, their Liverpool counterparts once again conceded first – and far too easily.
It happened an awful lot under Jurgen Klopp last season, and it’s now happening again under his successor.