Wirtz may be key to Forest FIRST

GETTING A WIN IN NOTTINGHAM COULD BE VITAL MOMENT FOR SLOT AND REDS

- By IAN DOYLE Chief LFC Writer

T became a running joke that swept through the online Liverpool fanbase for much of last season. This term, though, nobody of an Anfield persuasion will have found it particularly funny.

When the Reds took each step towards lifting a record-equalling 20th championship, much amusement was extracted from Arne Slot's repeated references to what, for much of the campaign, was his team's sole Premier League defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.

But when Forest returned to Anfield in November, it prompted the start of a week in which the growing pressure Slot was feeling after a dismal run of results reached an almost intolerable level.

A dreadful 3-0 reverse to the struggling Tricky Trees was followed by an even worse 4-1 loss at home to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, leading to calls for Slot to be sacked after a run of nine defeats in 12 games.

That week, though, has subsequently proven a turning point for Liverpool, their boss and one player in particular.