Darwin Nunez scored a 99th-minute winner to give Liverpool a dramatic 1-0 victory away at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

The striker returned from injury to net in the final seconds at the City Ground late on Saturday night to send Liverpool four points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table.

After a slow start, Divock Origi nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a thunderous left-footed strike from range that just went wide. At the other end, a Luis Diaz shot took a deflection off Andrew Omobamidele and found the side-netting.

Forest came close again in minute 23, launching a counter-attack after Mac Allister could not flick Harvey Elliott’s cut-back towards goal. Origi sent Anthony Elanga through on goal but he was thwarted by the legs of Caoimhin Kelleher in a one-on-one situation.

A pair of opportunities then fell Diaz’s way. The first, off a rebound from Clark’s scuffed shot, was stopped by a last-ditch block from Murillo, while the Colombian later dragged an effort wide from an encouraging position inside the Forest penalty area.

In the final moments of the half, no one in Liverpool was in position to meet Cody Gakpo’s header back across goal when Mac Allister lifted a ball into the box.

Liverpool had a huge opportunity to take the lead five minutes into the second half when the ball broke to Robertson but Omobamidele produced a brilliant goalline block to divert his shot behind a post. Diaz then put an effort inch wide of the right post.

Matz Sels produced an outstanding reflex save in stoppage time after Nunez had flicked the ball on and Murillo diverted it towards his own goal. But just as Forest through that they had rescued a point they lost it.

Forest failed to clear a corner as they opted to dribble the ball out of danger but that proved fatal as Liverpool won the ball back. Mac Allister sent it back into the box and Nunez got the vital touch to secure a first league win at the City Ground since October 1984 for Liverpool.

A fourth straight league win puts Liverpool on 63 points. Forest will continue to look anxiously over their shoulders as they remain four points above 18th-place Luton Town, who have one matches in hand.