BAD MOOD: Nottingham Forest owner confronts referee in tunnel following controversial late Liverpool winner

After Liverpool’s late winner at the City Ground, enraged Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly confronted referee Paul Tierney in the tunnel, requiring security to restrain him.

Forest were furious with Liverpool's winning goal

Darwin Nunez, a substitute, scored in the ninth minute of extra time—after at least eight had been allowed—to give the Reds a commanding three-point lead in the title bаttle and deflect one point from their relegation-threatened opponents.

Nottingham Forest were fuming after Liverpool scored a controversial late winner

However, Forest was furious because Tierney had interrupted play when Forest was on the аttаck because Ibrahima Konate had suffered a head ιnjury. Nunez headed home an Alexis Mac Allister cross as Liverpool advanced up the pitch and eventually took the lead as he resumed with an unopposed drop ball.

Following the score, there were angry scenes on the benches. Tierney, flanked by players and staff, sent Forest coach Steven Reid off the pitch and yellow carded substitute Felipe.

Marinakis reported chased Tierney down the tunnel

After the game, Rоb Schofield of BBC Radio Five Live went inside the City Ground tunnel and stated, “You rarely see scenes like that in the tunnel.” Steven Reid’s frustration was visible. He and the owner of the Forest, Evangelos Marinakis, went after fourth official Graham Scott and referee Paul Tierney all the way to the referee’s office, shouting at them, “Respect the players! Show the players some courtesy! This occurs each week! Show the players some respect!”

Schofield went on: “At one point, security had to remove Marinakis. The Forest players were infuriated, and Nuno was completely disheartened. Storming past me, Jurgen Klopp said he had no idea why he was receiving so much criticism. This was where it was all really getting going. Angry moments.”

Later, Klopp said: “The conditions made perhaps the most challenging game we’ve ever played. With our current squad, it’s quite difficult to play four games in eleven days. It was very unique. As you could see, we had difficulty in every aspect of the game today. It’s really challenging. I find it hard to comprehend we’ve won four games.

Amazing help right at the last second. Fantastic sensation. I’m overjoyed. There’s nothing more the lads could ask for. Any Sunday would be a huge game, even without that. We play a challenging game in Prague before that. We must persevere and heal.”Referee Paul Tierney during the Premier League match at The City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Saturday March 2, 2024.