With the game seemingly heading for a goalless draw, Mac Allister took his late chance, after seeing a previous effort ruled out by VAR.

The title-holders were expecting a tough afternoon despite Forest's poor form, having lost 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Anfield in November.

And it was Forest to threaten first as Callum Hudson-Odoi wasted a chance to put the hosts ahead inside the first three minutes. The attacker was through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat, but Alisson stood up strong to make a point-blank save.

Liverpool were really struggling to get going, and Elliot Anderson tried his luck from range, before Murillo has a shot blocked.

Hudson-Odoi then did well to create space for Omari Hutchinson to fire in at the target, but his effort lacked the pace to test Alisson.

Igor Jesus thought he was about to break the deadlock on 40 minutes as he shaped to shoot, but Virgil van Dijk made a superb intervention.

Alisson was forced to tip behind a scooped Hutchinson cross as Forest continue to threaten the Reds' goal, while the first half ended with a few speculative efforts from Forest, leaving the Liverpool bench visibly angry.

There must have been a few choice words for the players in the visiting dressing room during the break because Liverpool came out strong in the second half.

After forcing a couple of corners, that were well defended, Alexis Mac Allister had a good shot blocked and Mohamed Salah finally created a chance, for Curtis Jones that brought a super snap save from Forest stopper Stefan Ortega.

The home team brought on Dan Ndoye for Hudson-Odoi while Hutchinson was replaced by Dilane Bakwa as Vítor Pereira looked to put an end to the newly-found Liverpool flow.

Bakwa was immediately in on the action with a shot, in plenty of space and time, that he dragged wide.

Anderson made way for Nicolas Dominguez as Maciel Igor Jesus was replaced by Lorenzo Lucca in more structural changes for Forest, while Salah and Cody Gakpo made way for Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha for Liverpool.

Any rhythm the game had was long gone, with another rond of substitutes as Andy Robertson came on for Milos Kerkez and Joe Gomez took over from Curtis Jones.

With time ticking away, Forest created their best chance for a goal. Alisson mishandled a delivery from Ndoye, and after a miskick from Gibbs-White, Sangare smashed the loose ball wide.

Liverpool were being pegged back in the final few minutes, and nervously defended two corners in quick succession.

But just when you thought this game was done and dusted Mac Allister forced the ball over he line in the last minute of regulation time, only to see the goal ruled out by VAR for handball.

It would have been a strange goal to win the game after the ball ballooned in off Mac Allister after Aina tried to clear following an excellent Ortega save from a Hugo Ekitike header.

But there time for even more drama as Mac Allister had the ball in the back of the net again, this time in the seventh minute of injury-time, but this time the goal stood after a long VAR check to verify that Van Dijk was onside in the lead up to the goal.

It was a real gut-punch for Forest, who end their afternoon with nothing, and stuck down in 17th place on the Premier League standings with 27 points from 27 games, just two clear of the relegation places.

Liverpool moved level with Manchester United, in sixth place with 45 points, three adrift of Chelsea in fourth.

Sekhukhune, Milford and Jacksa Spears progress to Nedbank Cup last eight