Darwin Nunez scored Liverpool’s 1,000th goal of the Jurgen Klopp era as they beat Sparta Prague 5-1 in the Europa League.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the Reds’ scoring record under their long-serving manager.

Liverpool have scored 1,003 goals in 476 games since Klopp’s appointment in October 2015, 691 of those in 323 Premier League matches peaking with 85 in their 2019-20 title-winning season.

Liverpool have scored a further 150 in 67 Champions League games, winning the competition in 2019, and 39 in 20 now in the Europa League.

They have 50 goals in 28 FA Cup games and 62 in 32 in the League Cup, winning the former in 2022 and the latter on two occasions including this season.

Six outings in the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup account for the remaining 10 goals.

Not surprisingly, Mohamed Salah leads a goalscoring podium comprised of Klopp’s most famous Anfield strikeforce.

The Egypt forward, a three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, is the only player to score 100 league goals or 200 overall for Klopp.

With 205 in all competitions, he comfortably leads Sadio Mane (120) and Roberto Firmino (111) in the Klopp-era scoring charts. The departed pair scored 90 and 82 respectively in the league.

No other player is in three figures, with Diogo Jota next on 55 in all competitions ahead of long-time impact substitute Divock Origi (41).

Fellow attackers Philippe Coutinho, Nunez – whose double against Sparta took him to 31 – and Daniel Sturridge, midfielder James Milner and current captain Virgil van Dijk complete the top 10. Luis Diaz is one goal outside on 22 after also scoring on Thursday.

A total of 61 Liverpool players have scored goals for Klopp, from Emre Can bagging the first goal of his reign in a 2015 Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan to the recent emergence of youngsters Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns.

There have also been 31 own goals from opposing players, most memorably two in the same game by Leicester’s Wout Faes.

Their highest-scoring season was 2021-22, with 147 goals as they played in every possible fixture on their way to winning both domestic cups and finishing as Premier League and Champions League runners-up. They have topped 100 in six of Klopp’s nine seasons, having already done so this term with 110.

Filing players by their most typical positions under Klopp – for example, converted winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the uber-versatile Milner are listed in midfield while Trent Alexander-Arnold remains a defender – sees forwards accounting for 703 of the goals. That grouping includes wide players and ‘number 10s’ such as Salah and Coutinho.

Another 177 goals have come from midfield, 85 from defenders and one memorable header by a goalkeeper, Alisson Becker’s injury-time winner against West Brom in 2021.

Former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel does not believe Sunday’s table-topping encounter with Manchester City at Anfield will decide the outcome of the Premier League title.

In what will be the biggest game of the season so far, the two best teams of recent years go head-to-head in what could be another volatile meeting on Merseyside.

Home advantage has played a significant role for Liverpool as they have lost just once – three years ago – to City since 2003, while in the last 50 meetings between the clubs at Anfield the Reds have suffered just three defeats.

But with Arsenal, who have to go to the Etihad Stadium at the end of the month, the other horse in the title race and only two points separating the three clubs, Skrtel believes it would be wrong to crown the champions on the back of Sunday’s result.

“It is always a big game against City, especially the last few seasons when they competed with Liverpool for the championship, but I don’t think it will be decisive as there are too many games to play,” he told the PA news agency.

“In the Premier League you can drop points anywhere and Arsenal are there also.

“I’m not going to predict how it will finish but I hope Liverpool can beat City and make a step towards winning the league.”

Recent matches at Anfield have been marred by off-field problems as, with tensions running high, on a couple of occasions City’s coach has sustained damage from objects thrown as the bus made its way through thousands of fans lining the streets.

There is equally as much at stake for both title challengers this weekend but Skrtel, who scored more goals against City (four) than any other English club and lost just four of his 17 appearances against them, believes supporters can make a real difference inside the stadium.

“These kind of games against City, United, Arsenal or Chelsea, the atmosphere is always special,” said the Slovakian, who is playing in the Liverpool Legends game against their Ajax counterparts on March 23 at Anfield.

“This time the fans will be more ready and more angry and will create the atmosphere that players love.

“It is mostly about the players on the pitch but the fans, who have done it already, can provide a boost for the team and push them forward.”

Liverpool are chasing an unprecedented quadruple against the backdrop of an injury crisis in Jurgen Klopp’s final season as manager.

While the German will be irreplaceable Skrtel believes he has left solid foundations for his successor.

“He delivered the trophies, he allowed the fans to believe Liverpool could be the best team in the world again and that’s very important,” he said.

“It’s not going to be easy to replace him but I think it is going to be a little bit easier for the new manager because if you see the current squad and the youngsters coming in the team is ready to compete.”

Skrtel’s former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso remains the favourite to replace Klopp, although he is also reportedly being targeted by Bayern Munich.

“The job Xabi is doing at Bayer Leverkusen is massive and he could be a good replacement,” he said.

“But after the season he is having – he can win the league – he will have more clubs coming after him.

“Xabi was at Liverpool and he loves the club and I would be happy if it were him.”

:: Tickets for the Liverpool Legends game are available from liverpoolfc.com/tickets. Proceeds go to the LFC Foundation which develops and supports projects tackling a range of social issues including poor educational outcomes, youth unemployment and young people becoming involved in gangs and crime.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised Darwin Nunez’s attitude after the striker scored twice – including the 1,000th goal of the manager’s reign – in a comfortable 5-1 Europa League victory over Sparta Prague.

The Uruguay international took his tally for the season to 16 – just two behind Mohamed Salah who had a goal disallowed by VAR on his return from injury – with a performance which was a perfect warm-up for Sunday’s visit of Premier League title rivals Manchester City.

After an up-and-down first season following his potential club-record move from Benfica the 24-year-old has found more consistency this season and but for a touch more luck would have been pushing Salah as leading scorer.

“He had absolutely more than (an) OK first season but he had to adapt, that’s done, and he is settled in the middle of the team,” said Klopp after the last-16 first leg which has put them within touching distance of the quarter-finals of the only trophy he has not won in his career.

“Wonderful guy, wonderful boy. He loves to play for this team together with these boys and has quality coming out of his ears, to be honest.

“It’s like strikers are, they score and then they don’t score. Is he at his absolute peak in general? Not now for us. But can he develop? Yes. Is he a threat all the time? Yes.

“He has the most important attitude a striker needs to have; he missed chances but all strikers are doing that but he is not bothered by it and just keeps going.

“That’s why he now has a nice number of goals, games to come, opportunities to come.

“When he’s not scoring he for us is incredibly important as he is a constant threat and gives us spaces in areas and options.”

The only blemish on the night appeared to be an injury to centre-back Ibrahima Konate but Klopp played down the concerns over the defender and said his substitution minutes into the second half was precautionary.

“We don’t know (yet). Ibou said to me when he passed me in that moment ‘I thought if I do another sprint then it could be bad.’ So, he said he should be fine, but we don’t know,” added the manager.

Klopp was afforded the chance to rest a number of players – Virgil van Dijk started on the bench alongside Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, a late goalscorer, but all got minutes after the break – while also easing back Salah with a gentle quarter-of-an-hour at the end.

He was also able to manage the minutes of some of his more over-worked players with utility man Joe Gomez coming off at half-time, Nunez after 51 minutes and the increasingly important Alexis Mac Allister, who opened the scoring with a sixth-minute penalty, with a quarter of the game to go after Luis Diaz had made the game safe with a fourth goal.

“Joey is fine. We took him off. He played a lot of games so that was more rotation, precaution. Now let’s see what (it) is with Ibou,” said Klopp.

Darwin Nunez scored the 1,000th goal of Jurgen Klopp’s reign in Liverpool’s comfortable 5-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague but it was not quite the perfect warm-up for Sunday’s title clash with Manchester City after another injury blow.

The Uruguay international finished the last-16 first-leg tie with another on the stroke of half-time but it was his first in the 25th minute which was massively important – and not just because of the landmark it brought up.

Liverpool had been under a sustained spell of pressure after Alexis Mac Allister, taking over penalty duties from Nunez after his failure against Chelsea in January, had put them ahead.

Perhaps spurred on by that snub Nunez – out of nowhere, as is often his inclination – cut in from the left to whip a brilliant 25-yard dipping shot over goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.

His second effectively came when Mac Allister, head and shoulders above everyone else in possession, played a superb ball over the top which his fellow South American lashed across Vindahl and inside the far post.

Luis Diaz scored the fourth and Klopp even had the luxury of giving much-needed minutes to midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai – who scored the fifth – and forward Mohamed Salah on his return to tune them up for the weekend, but the loss of centre-back Ibrahima Konate to injury is another unwanted headache.

The gulf in class in terms of finishing was evident as Sparta, unbeaten at home all season, squandered a number of chances which could have made this much trickier whereas Liverpool were clinical and had plenty in reserve.

When the two sides last met in 2011 Kenny Dalglish’s side played with a back five – which included such luminaries as Danny Wilson and Sotiros Kyrgiakos – with David Ngog leading the line.

The 2024 upgrade was quite considerable even though Klopp made three changes from the last-gasp win at Nottingham Forest with Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo and Nunez coming in and put Salah on the bench after recovering from a muscle injury which had restricted him to one 46-minute substitute appearance since he suffered an injury at the Africa Cup of Nations mid-January.

It took them just six minutes to score as defender Asger Sorensen was a fraction late with his attempt to win the ball as Mac Allister charged out of midfield on the press.

With Salah absent, the Argentina international converted his ninth spot-kick in 10 attempts for English clubs, having previously scored eight for Brighton.

Sparta’s response was immediate and sustained with Lukas Haraslin placing his shot too close to Caoimhin Kelleher with only the keeper to beat but it still needed Joe Gomez to acrobatically clear off the line.

Konate blocked Angelo Preciado’s shot and then Kelleher tipped over when the Ecuadorian’s header was helped on – but just when the pressure was reaching a peak Liverpool broke the shackles and Nunez doubled their advantage in true maverick style.

However, Sparta’s bold approach in keeping three players high at all times succeeded in causing problems.

Jan Kuchta flicked over before Kelleher parried his shot into the path of Velijko Birmancevic six yards out but his finish was more suited to the circus pitched up across the road from the stadium as he bundled wide of an open goal after kicking the ball against his standing foot.

Cody Gakpo had two chances in quick succession to make the game safe but his shot on the turn was well saved by Vindahl and then he fired straight at the keeper from Diaz’s delightful through ball.

Conor Bradley’s first involvement after replacing Gomez at half-time in a pre-arranged swap was to divert Birmancevic’s cross into his own net seconds after the restart and the unmarked Haraslin was crowded out by Kelleher.

The chaotic start to the second half continued when Konate was injured and replaced by Virgil van Dijk, with Szoboszlai coming on for Nunez.

Diaz’s deflected 53rd-minute toepoke eventually put the game to bed before Salah had a goal ruled by VAR and Szoboszlai scored with the last kick of the game – however, Manchester City will not be so accommodating at Anfield.

Manuel Akanji feels it is about time Manchester City put an end to their Anfield hoodoo.

The champions travel to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday in a crucial clash at the top of the table.

Second-placed City are widely considered the favourites for the title but their record at the home of the Reds is notoriously poor.

City have won just once at Anfield in front of a crowd since 1981, when Nicolas Anelka scored a double 21 years ago.

They did triumph there 4-1 behind closed doors in 2021 but the atmosphere will be completely different this weekend.

City defender Akanji said: “It definitely will be massive. The winner will go to the top of the league. I don’t want to talk about the title race but it would be a big win for us.

“We haven’t done the best there in the past – but why not change it this weekend?

“We know how hard it is but we’ll go there and try to get the three points like we always do.

“I’ve only played there once – we lost there 1-0 – but it’s a really good stadium, the atmosphere is great and the team is one of the best and that’s what makes it difficult.

“But in the end we just focus on us, even if the crowd is pushing them. If we put on the type of performance we want then I think we can win the game.”

Akanji was on target as holders City rubber-stamped their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for a seventh successive season with a routine 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen on Wednesday.

The Switzerland international opened the scoring at the Etihad Stadium with a fine volley on five minutes and Julian Alvarez quickly doubled the lead with help of a goalkeeping error.

Former Southampton player Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back but Erling Haaland wrapped up a 6-2 aggregate triumph with his 29th goal of the season.

Manager Pep Guardiola said his side played with the belief they could win the competition again but Akanji did not want to look too far ahead.

Akanji said: “I hope so – that’s what we play for, to win it – but we’re into the quarter-finals now and we’ll see.

“Right now it looks good but it doesn’t mean it will be good for the rest of the tournament. There are still a lot of games ahead. There are important games in England now, with Liverpool and then the FA Cup quarter-final. Then more league games.

“So we focus on those first and see who we get in the next round.”

March is a key month for City with a home clash against Arsenal, the other side in the title picture, also to come.

Akanji said: “Our next two league games are pretty big. I can’t say they are decisive for the league but will be important for how the rest of the season goes.”

Erling Haaland has hit back at a Manchester City dig from Trent Alexander-Arnold by pointing out the Liverpool man has not won the treble.

A war of words has broken out ahead of Sunday’s crunch title clash between Premier League leaders Liverpool and Haaland’s City at Anfield after Alexander-Arnold suggested winning trophies means more to the Merseyside club.

“Looking back on this era, although they’ve won more titles than us and have probably been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fanbase because of the situations at both clubs financially,” the Liverpool defender told FourFourTwo.

Haaland, who scored 52 goals as City won a glorious treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last season and has added another 29 this term, responded in blunt fashion.

The Norway striker told Sky Sports News: “If he wants to say that, OK. I’ve been here one year and I won the treble and it was quite a nice feeling.

“I don’t think he knows exactly this feeling. So, that’s what I felt last season. It was quite nice.

“They can talk as much as they want, or he can talk as much as he wants. I don’t know why he does that but I don’t mind.”

Alexander-Arnold, who described City as a “machine that’s built to win” is set to miss the game with a knee injury.

City trail Liverpool by a point ahead of the eagerly-anticipated contest, after which both sides will have 10 league games remaining.

“It’s going to be a great game,” said Haaland. “Liverpool are top of the league, so they’ve been the best this season so far. So we have to try and play at our best.

“I think City-Liverpool is a really special game in general, so it’s going to be a special game and it’s going to be a really important game.”

March is a big month in terms of the title race with City also facing Arsenal, the other side in contention, in just over three weeks’ time.

Haaland recognises the difficulties ahead but is confident the champions will rise to the challenge.

The 23-year-old said: “As last year, I think we were in a quite interesting title race. Maybe someone even put us a bit away from the title race at one point.

“So, yes, it’s a nice thing. I think that’s also what’s so nice about the Premier League, that there’s so many who are so good.

“I think there’s so many who can win the Premier League and the last years it’s been Manchester City, and we’re going to try and do it again. It’s not going to be easy, but we are good.”

What the papers say

It is expected to be a three-horse race for the signature of Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich in the summer. According to the Daily Express, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are all in the hunt for the 29-year-old, who is looking for a change of scenery in the next transfer window.

The Daily Mail reports Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi has emerged as a key name as Manchester United weigh up the future of manager Erik ten Hag. Citing ESPN, the paper says United bosses have drawn up a list of potential replacements in the wake of the Red Devils’ 3-1 loss to rivals Manchester City at the weekend. England manager Gareth Southgate is also said to be on the club’s shortlist.

Staying with managerial rumours, The Telegraph says Bayern Munich have overtaken Liverpool in the chase for Xabi Alonso. It is believed the German giants are confident of landing the 42-year-old, should he decide to leave Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

And The Telegraph also reports Chelsea are interested in signing Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who could be available for around £43million.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Alan Varela: The Porto midfielder has the interest of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Paris St Germain, reports French outlet Foot Mercato.

Joelinton: Website Football Insider says the Newcastle midfielder wants to stay in the Premier League if the two parties cannot agree on a new contract.

Mohamed Salah will begin his build-up to Sunday’s clash with title rivals Manchester City with minutes in the Europa League against Sparta Prague after recovering from injury.

Klopp admits the Egypt international would not normally be in the squad after only returning to training on Tuesday but the current injury situation – there are at least nine first-team players absent – and the context of the season means he travelled with the squad.

And with the weekend’s Premier League encounter against City looming large, the 31-year-old – who has played just 46 minutes in one substitute appearance against Brentford since leaving the Africa Cup of Nations early with a hamstring injury on January 18 – will get a chance to shake off the rust.

“He is with us and has trained two days, he is full of energy, we have to see. But it is so good that he is back. It is really good and you can see he is happy,” said Klopp ahead of the last-16 first-leg tie.

“It’s an unusual situation being that long out and then came back against Brentford, played an incredible game and was then out again.

“Two days in team training: in a different situation players are not in the squad in this moment but now the situation make sense.

“We want to be careful, we have to be careful but we’re in the middle of a super-intense period of the season and we need everyone.

“So let’s see how long we can use him and these kinds of things. Yes, it’s just good news.”

Salah’s return to fitness has ignited a club-versus-country row as Egypt rejected Liverpool’s request to exempt their captain from an upcoming camp in Abu Dhabi for a friendly tournament where they will play New Zealand – Tunisia or Croatia await the winners – as they want to assess his fitness.

It has subsequently been reported the Egyptian FA, who reluctantly agreed to allow Salah to return to Merseyside for treatment after he sustained a hamstring injury midway through the Africa Nations Cup in January, have been unable to contact their star player.

Asked about his international call-up, Klopp added: “Let’s see how long he can play.

“Two games with Egypt is really not up to me – we are not really involved. It is discussed with other departments.”

Salah’s return will be carefully managed but Slavia Prague are possibly not the best opponents to be facing as Klopp recalls their coach Brian Priske’s physical approach in a game against them for Midtjylland.

The game was a Champions League dead rubber but it proved costly as Diogo Jota sustained a knee injury which sidelined him for three months.

“I remember right, we had some argument on the touchline about style of play as the opponent was pretty rough,” said Klopp.

“I saw the Galatasaray game (Sparta’s previous game in the play-off round) and that was not a friendly game as well.

“It is knockout stages, you go for everything and everyone involved in this competition does the same. We aren’t here for a friendly game.”

Priske admits he does not know which side Klopp will field but is not focusing on individuals.

“Liverpool are playing great this season and my boys will have their hands full,” he told a press conference.

“It is also difficult to predict who will start for them, considering the size and quality of their squad.

“However, we’re more interested in their style of play than specific personnel.”

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has travelled to the Czech Republic for the Europa League last-16 first leg against Sparta Prague after returning to training.

The Egypt international’s presence on the flight from Merseyside is particularly significant in the context of the week with Premier League title rivals Manchester City due at Anfield on Sunday.

Salah has played just 46 minutes since leaving the African Cup of Nations early with a hamstring injury on January 18.

Those came in one substitute appearance against Brentford in mid-February, following which the 31-year-old was sidelined after what manager Jurgen Klopp said was muscle fatigue.

Klopp has taken his strongest available squad to Prague, having been afforded the relative luxury of five days between matches, and that means the likes of Darwin Nunez and Wataru Endo, both substitutes for the weekend’s win at Nottingham Forest, are likely to start.

However, 18-year-old striker Jayden Danns, who scored twice in last week’s FA Cup win over Southampton, has not travelled due to a concussion issue after Saturday’s game.

Sparta coach Brian Priske admits he does not know which side Klopp will field but is not focusing on individuals.

“Liverpool are playing great this season and my boys will have their hands full,” he told a press conference.

“It is also difficult to predict who will start for them, considering the size and quality of their squad.

“However, we’re more interested in their style of play than specific personnel.”

Nottingham Forest and their first-team coach Steven Reid have been charged with misconduct by the Football Association over the confrontation with referee Paul Tierney after Saturday’s Premier League defeat to Liverpool.

Reid was sent off after he came on to the field to remonstrate with Tierney at the end of the match, which Forest lost 1-0 to a Darwin Nunez goal deep into stoppage time.

Forest’s referee analyst Mark Clattenburg said the club were “aggrieved” by Tierney’s incorrect decision in added time to award a dropped-ball to Liverpool in the Reds’ penalty area, rather than to Forest who were in possession in an attacking area when he stopped play for a head injury to Ibrahima Konate.

It is alleged Reid’s language towards Tierney was abusive and or insulting, which led to his dismissal, and that he acted in an improper manner after being sent off.

Forest are charged with failing to ensure their players and technical staff behaved properly. Reid and the club have until March 13 to respond to the charges.

It is understood no further action will be taken against anyone else from Forest.

The club dismissed reports their owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be restrained after chasing Tierney down the tunnel, but said he did approach the official.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah returned to training ahead of the Europa League last-16 first leg against Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic.

The Egypt international’s presence with the rest of the squad at the AXA training complex ahead of their flight out was more significant in the context of the week, with Premier League title rivals Manchester City due at Anfield on Sunday.

Salah has played just 46 minutes since leaving the African Cup of Nations early with a hamstring injury on January 18.

Those came in one substitute appearance against Brentford in mid-February, after which the 31-year-old was sidelined with what manager Jurgen Klopp said was muscle fatigue.

A referee welfare charity fears Mark Clattenburg could be used as a “puppet” by Nottingham Forest.

Former Premier League official Clattenburg is working as a referee analyst for Forest on a consultancy basis, and spoke out at the weekend after Paul Tierney’s dropped-ball error in the home defeat to Liverpool.

Martin Cassidy, the chief executive of Ref Support, believes referee analysts at clubs could in principle be a positive move, and hugely admires Clattenburg, who has now also found fame with a new audience as a referee on the reboot of the television programme Gladiators.

However, he fears such appointments could become “a partisan tool to justify ref abuse”.

“I genuinely fear that Clatts may be used like a puppet to give illegitimate behaviour credibility and by proxy justify ref abuse,” Cassidy told the PA news agency.

“I feel more clubs should call upon referees’ experience to explain law, etc, at every level of football.

“Football is a sport where the majority of those who play it don’t know the laws of the game they play. This is particularly relevant at pro level, which has always been a concern of mine, so I welcome such a role.

“The worry for me is if this role is then used as a partisan tool to justify ref abuse, and if the referee (analyst) has the freedom to say the referee was correct and the players were wrong.

“There is no doubt that Clattenburg has huge credibility in this field and is someone I hugely admire, but the question that needs to be asked is: Has Clattenburg got the freedom to question publicly the behaviour of Forest as a club for their unacceptable response to this incident?

“Would anyone be expected to believe that Clatts has a free rein to say that, or would it be fair to presume that he must deliver the message that the club wants him to deliver, whether the club’s opinion is right or wrong? Only time will tell.”

Clattenburg is believed to be the only referee analyst working with an English club that Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) is aware of.

Forest have been contacted for a response to Cassidy’s comments.

Tierney failed to award a dropped ball to Forest in an attacking position after stopping play for a head injury to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

Forest did regain possession after Tierney’s error but conceded a 99th-minute goal which cost them a valuable point in the race for Premier League survival.

Tierney will not referee a match this weekend but will be the VAR for Arsenal’s match against Brentford on Saturday evening. Sources close to PGMOL insist Tierney has not been dropped, and say he regularly alternates between being a referee and a VAR.

Clattenburg told BBC Radio 5 Live after last Saturday’s match: “(Forest) should have had the ball back. If the referee stops the game, he has to give the ball back to the team in possession. That was Forest.

“When (the ball was) given to the keeper, with Liverpool scoring afterwards, you can see why (Forest) are aggrieved.

“I haven’t spoken to the referee – I’ll leave that to the club. I went to go into the referee’s dressing room (after the game) but he (Tierney) wouldn’t allow it.”

PGMOL is understood to be unaware of any further contact from the club over the incident beyond Clattenburg’s comments. Forest have not commented on whether there has been further contact.

Jurgen Klopp hailed Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp winner in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest as the perfect response to the City Ground boo-boys.

Nunez marked his return from a three-game injury lay-off by heading home Alexis Mac Allister’s cross in the ninth minute of added time to lift his side four points clear at the top of the Premier League.

As Nunez stepped off the bench in the second half, a section of Forest fans chanted: “You’re just a sxxx Andy Carroll”, in reference to the Uruguay international’s pony-tail, which is similar to the one worn by the former Liverpool striker.

Klopp, who claimed the win was among his side’s biggest of the season, said: “It’s such an important goal, which gives you three points. It’s always super-decisive and, especially for him, super-deserved.

“Before people start singing that song more often, it’s the best way to immediately calm it down.

“But they can sing it if Darwin responds like he did today. Before that he had really good moments. (He forced) a sensational save off the goalie, he was immediately in the game.”

When asked if Nunez understood the song, Klopp added: “I understood it. Yes, I think he understands it, so that’s the best answer.”

Klopp was delighted his injury-hit side has been able to keep racking up the wins – their fourth in 11 days – following last week’s Carabao Cup triumph.

“How the boys fought through that is really special,” he added. “The fourth game was the toughest. It was really an unbelievable effort. The boys put in a proper, proper shift.”

Forest were incensed by referee Paul Tierney’s decision to hand the ball to Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after halting play while the home side were in possession for an apparent head injury to Ibrahima Konate shortly before the visitors’ winner.

Home players and staff surrounded Tierney at the final whistle – coach Steven Reid was shown a red card – while Forest later dismissed reports that club owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be restrained by security staff in the tunnel.

Forest’s referee analyst Mark Clattenburg claimed after the match that the game’s rules state Tierney should have handed possession back to Forest.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo refused to comment on the incident, but could not hide his disappointment.

Anthony Elanga spurned Forest’s best two chances, foiled in a first-half one-on-one by Kelleher before firing narrowly wide from Harry Toffolo’s cross after the interval.

“Not only that, it was the final pass, in the right moment,” Nuno said. “We will keep trying. We will repeat on the training ground until we get it right.

“But we limited them very well. We controlled the middle of the park, always covering ourselves, the wingers helping the full-backs, controlling the box and when we had the ball we had the right idea – we go forward.

“We had moments of good football, but took nothing from the game, so it’s tough to take because our fans deserve to go home after a game like today happy, but they’re not, so we will try.”

Nottingham Forest’s referee analyst Mark Clattenburg claims Paul Tierney made an mistake in the build-up to Liverpool’s last-gasp winner in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat.

Forest’s players, staff and fans were furious after substitute Darwin Nunez’s stoppage-time effort denied them a draw.

Referee Tierney had stopped play before the build-up to the goal for an apparent head injury to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

The official blew with Forest in possession on the edge of Liverpool’s area and, after Konate had quickly recovered, Tierney dropped the ball to visiting goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who then started the move that led to the goal.

Clattenburg, appointed to his role at Forest last month, said after the match: “The law states that, if the referee is going to stop the game – which he is entitled to for a head injury – the ball has to go back to the team that has possession. Nottingham Forest clearly had possession.

“The laws of the game clearly state that, when the referee blows his whistle, the team that has possession should get possession when the game is started again.”

Former Premier League referee Clattenburg added: “When Liverpool were given possession, they went on the attack and eventually scored from it.

“It is another decision that has gone against Nottingham Forest… We just need to hope that this luck changes.”

Forest’s players and staff surrounded Tierney at the final whistle, with coach Steven Reid shown a red card, while boss Nuno Espirito Santo refused to comment on the incident.

Forest dismissed reports club owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be restrained after chasing Tierney down the tunnel after the final whistle, but said he did approach the official.

Clattenburg added: “The owner is quite upset because, of course, he has invested a lot of money in the club. He wants to see results and he feels that another decision has gone against the club.

“He is upset. Everyone at the club is upset that they have lost in this way.

“As a club, Nottingham Forest feel as though there have been one or two decisions that have gone against them in the last few weeks.”

Clattenburg said he would speak to the referees’ governing body, the PGMOL, about the incident.

“With the relations I have with the PGMOL and the Premier League, we will discuss what has happened today and then plot what the next course of action is,” he said.

“The law is clear. When you have possession outside of the penalty area, you get possession back.

“In that crucial moment, Forest had the ball in the corner. They could have absorbed a bit of time and got the result, with the score at 0-0.”

When asked if he had been in contact with Tierney after the game, Clattenburg added: “I have not spoken to him myself. I tried to go into the referee’s room and he would not allow me in.”

The PGMOL declined to comment, while the PA news agency has also approached the Premier League for its response.

Nottingham Forest referee analyst Mark Clattenburg claims Paul Tierney made an mistake in allowing Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp winner in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

Forest’s players, bench and fans were furious after the substitute’s stoppage-time effort denied them a draw.

Referee Tierney had stopped play before the build-up to the goal for an apparent head injury to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.

The official blew with Forest in possession on the edge of Liverpool’s area and, after Konate had quickly recovered, Tierney dropped the ball to visiting goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who then started the move that led to the goal.

Clattenburg, appointed to his role at Forest last month, said after the match: “The law states that, if the referee is going to stop the game – which he is entitled to for a head injury – the ball has to go back to the team that has possession. Nottingham Forest clearly had possession.

“The laws of the game clearly state that, when the referee blows his whistle, the team that has possession should get possession when the game is started again.”

Former Premier League referee Clattenburg added: “When Liverpool were given possession, they went on the attack and eventually scored from it.

“It is another decision that has gone against Nottingham Forest… We just need to hope that this luck changes.”

Forest’s players and staff surrounded Tierney at the final whistle, with coach Steven Reid shown a red card, while boss Nuno Espirito Santo refused to comment on the incident.

Forest dismissed reports club owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be restrained after chasing Tierney down the tunnel after the final whistle, but said he did approach the official.

Clattenburg added: “The owner is quite upset because, of course, he has invested a lot of money in the club. He wants to see results and he feels that another decision has gone against the club.

“He is upset. Everyone at the club is upset that they have lost in this way.

“As a club, Nottingham Forest feel as though there have been one or two decisions that have gone against them in the last few weeks.”

Clattenburg said he would speak to the referees’ governing body, the PGMOL, about the incident.

“With the relations I have with the PGMOL and the Premier League, we will discuss what has happened today and then plot what the next course of action is,” he said.

“The law is clear. When you have possession outside of the penalty area, you get possession back.

“In that crucial moment, Forest had the ball in the corner. They could have absorbed a bit of time and got the result, with the score at 0-0.”

When asked if he had been in contact with Tierney after the game, Clattenburg added: “I have not spoken to him myself. I tried to go into the referee’s room and he would not allow me in.”

The PGMOL declined to comment, while the PA news agency has also approached the Premier League for its response.