“He shouldn’t be on the field.” – Chaos erupts during the Nottingham Forest versus Liverpool match as 24 years-old forward Darwin Nunez scores, and the owner is seen “pursuing the referee.”

Liverpool emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, extending their lead at the summit of the Premier League with a late triumph at the City Ground.

Following Liverpool’s last-minute goal, there was purportedly an incident involving Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who reportedly confronted referee Paul Tierney in the tunnel, necessitating intervention from security post-match. Despite a lackluster performance, the Reds secured the win, maintaining their position atop the Premier League even if Manchester City triumphs over Manchester United at home on Sunday.

In a match characterized by low intensity for much of the afternoon, Nottingham Forest rued Anthony Elanga’s missed opportunity in the first half, as Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher thwarted the winger’s attempt. However, in the dying moments of injury time, substitute Darwin Nunez headed in the decisive goal for Liverpool.

Nunez capitalized on Alexis Mac Allister’s dangerous cross, which had caused chaos moments earlier when Ibrahima Konate was struck in the head inside Liverpool’s penalty area, prompting a halt in play. Despite Forest having possession when play resumed, Tierney allowed Liverpool to continue, leading to controversy when Nunez netted the winner shortly after.

Following the match, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly expressed his discontent by confronting referee Tierney on the field, surrounded by players, staff, and fans from both teams. The situation escalated, resulting in Forest manager Steven Reid being shown a red card for post-match misconduct.

BBC Radio Five Live reporter Rob Schofield described the tense scenes inside the tunnel, with Marinakis allegedly being restrained by security as he voiced his grievances to Tierney and fourth official Graham Scott, demanding respect for the players. However, conflicting reports suggest that security intervention may not have been necessary, with Forest acknowledging Marinakis’s visit to the referee’s room but describing it as a brief exchange rather than a confrontation.

Former referee turned Sky Sports pundit Mike Dean criticized Marinakis’s actions, stating that he had no business being on the pitch and predicting his presence in the tunnel awaiting the referee.

Despite the off-field drama, the match itself saw Liverpool struggle against a resilient Nottingham Forest side, with the majority of chances in the first half falling to the home team, including Elanga’s effort thwarted by Kelleher.