Liverpool accused of using 'dark arts' and 'unfair tactic' against Nottingham Forest that 'needs to be dealt with'

Liverpool have been accused of deploying an 'unfair tactic' during their Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest.

On Tuesday night, Liverpool dropped two vital points as they were held to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground by high-flying Forest.

Chris Wood opened the scoring in the eighth minute after being played through by Anthony Elanga.

Arne Slot's men pushed in the second half and were eventually rewarded after Diogo Jota headed in Kostas Tsimikas' corner with 66 minutes on the clock.

As a result, Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League currently stands at six points, with Arsenal in with a chance of cutting the gap to just four points if they beat Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

After the match, former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett spoke about Jota's equaliser, picking out an unfair tactic.

Hackett alluded to the fact that Cody Gakpo was standing right next to Forest keeper Matz Sels, preventing him from a clear run at catching or punching the ball.

However, the former referee did state that VAR was never going to overturn the goal and called on coaches to find a way to deal with the tactic.

He said to Football Insider: "Clearly one of the dark arts currently in football is how attacking teams are positioning one of their forwards on the goalkeeper. You will appreciate no one owns any space on a football field.

"Given these tactics I would have thought that goalkeeping coaches might have found a way to combat and to deal with what I consider an unfair tactic."

Hackett continued: "Looking at replays there is no way that VAR would intervene. The goalkeeper should have made a stronger play for the ball, good goal."

Speaking after the match, Reds boss Slot said: "I couldn’t have asked for more today. I think most people talk about the second half - that they are really positive about the second half. If you ask me, I am also more positive about the second half than the first half, but if you play at this ground against this team, who are in such good form, hardly concedes a chance in every single game - and I have watched many of them back.

"So many counter-attack threats, almost every game they have counter-attack after counter-attack after counter-attack. We conceded only one counter-attack here today in 98 minutes of football of total domination. Unfortunately for us, that ball immediately went in."

Liverpool will return to Premier League action this weekend when they take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.