Sometimes things just seem to be written in the stars. With Liverpool looking likely to drop two points and hand the initiative to Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race, up stepped Darwin Nunez.

The Reds had never won at the home of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League era and could easily have fallen behind had Anthony Elanga taken one of two outstanding chances.

But then in the ninth minute of stoppage time, Forest failed to clear a corner, Alexis Mac Allister crossed and Nunez – a second-half substitute – climbed highest to head home.

The giddy scenes of celebration on the visitors’ bench were matched in the away end but Forest felt desperately aggrieved.

About a minute before the goal, play had stopped for a head injury to Ibrahima Konate, as Callum Hudson-Odoi shaped to cross.

Instead of returning possession, Liverpool played on and though the goal did not develop immediately, Forest were raging. A red card was shown to a member of their coaching staff after the final whistle as they surrounded referee Paul Tierney, and abuse rained from the stands.

Darwin Nunez scored an injury time winner to see Liverpool maintain pace in title race

The Reds striker headed home the winner in the ninth minute of added time to win the game

It was despair for Forest who thought they’d earned a vital point in the battle against the drop

It leaves Forest in deeper peril as they await a possible points deduction for breaking spending rules next month but for Liverpool, a four-trophy haul in Jurgen Klopp’s final season remains a possibility.

Divock Origi will always be loved at Liverpool thanks to his crucial goals, notably in the 2019 Champions League Final, but he looked in the mood against his old club here.

In the 15th minute, the Belgian shook off Andy Robertson on the Forest right and charged infield, with his powerful effort from 25 yards flying inches wide.

At the other end, Luis Diaz’s effort clipped Andrew Omobamidele and spun past the post. Even without several key men like Mohamed Salah, Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have kept driving forward thanks largely to the emergence of an impressive group of academy products.

Two of those – Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark – made the starting XI here while Forest left their most dangerous forward Taiwo Awoniyi on the bench, and the Nigerian would surely have taken the opportunity that Anthony Elanga had midway through the first half.

Seconds after Alexis Mac Allister had fluffed a good chance for the Reds, Origi sent Elanga racing beyond Virgil van Dijk only for Caoimhin Keller to keep the effort out with his feet.

Liverpool tried to make Forest pay instantly. Clark collected on the edge of the box and when his effort hit Omobamidele, Luis Diaz looked to have a tap-in. The Colombian’s first touch was shaky, though, and that allowed Murillo to bail Forest out with a fine last-ditch clearance.

In the closing moments of the half, Cody Gakpo headed Mac Allister’s chip across goal and with goalkeeper Matz Sels out of the game, Forest were relieved to see no Liverpool player there to take advantage.

In the early stages of the second half it was clear Liverpool had moved up a gear with Omobamidele and Murillo at full stretch to keep them out, the first to block Robertson’s goalbound effort and the latter to put his head in the way of Mac Allister’s volley.

Both managers sent for their No9s around the hour mark, with Klopp bringing on Darwin Nunez and Nuno Espirito Santo introducing Awoniyi. Nunez was quickly into the action, firing into the side netting, before Elanga missed his second glorious chance of the match.

Players celebrate with the match winner as Liverpool go four points clear at the top

Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez was forced off in the second half with an injury

There was another run-out for Liverpool teen Jayden Danns as a second half substitute

Callum Hudson-Odoi slipped in Harry Toffolo on the left and Elanga’s first-time finish at the far post wrong-footed Kelleher but slid just wide. Then Awoniyi found himself running at the visitors’ centre-backs only to get himself in a muddle in front of goal.

Now the match was becoming more open and when Neco Williams was robbed in midfield by Mac Allister, Gakpo should have done better than slice wide from the angle.

As his team struggled to break through, Klopp was growing irritable and had to be reprimanded by Tierney after a particularly animated reaction when Forest won a free-kick for a foul on Dominguez.

Luis Diaz could not bring him relief, either, as he fired wide from the edge of the box. Kelleher was still as secure as ever in the Liverpool goal, making a solid stop to deny Hudson-Odoi.

Jayden Danns replaced Gakpo and was soon demanding a penalty when Forest sub Danilo seemed to bundle him over at a corner. If Danns was unlucky there, he was perhaps fortunate to be shown only a yellow card when leaping at Sels and flattening him, even though the Forest keeper had the ball in both hands.

Bobby Clark was given a start for Liverpool as the Reds continued to trust in their young stars

Jurgen Klopp looks on as his team struggled to break down a stubborn Forest side

For long periods of the game Forest frustrated the Premier League leaders at The City Ground

With eight minutes of stoppage time signalled, a sliding Nunez just failed to reach Kostas Tsimikas’ low cross and Hudson-Odoi was furious when Awoniyi failed to spot his run after pinching possession from Wataru Endo in midfield.

Forest were spared the ultimate punishment thanks to Sels, who showed outstanding reflexes to keep his team level after a deflection off Murillo’s shoulders.

Forest pushed again and won a corner when Gibbs-White’s low drive was blocked by Virgil van Dijk, but should have done better with an excellent counter-attacking chance. Then came the controversy, the fury and the winning goal. How important might this be come May?