Comment: Nottingham Forest and Liverpool battle like it's 1978

The Reds showed them respect at the City Ground, that’s for sure, and they may need to keep an eye on their old rivals all season.

BATTLE: Nottingham Forest's Nicolas Dominguez and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah battle for the ball. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

FOOTBALL turned back the clock to 1978 at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest and Liverpool revived a rivalry that only those of a certain age can remember.

It ended with Forest second in the table, with only Arne Slot’s side above them. So, should we be taking them more seriously in the title race?

They do, after all, have history with the Anfield giants.

For a few years at the end of the ’70s Forest, under the enigmatic Brian Clough, were Liverpool’s nemesis, the streetwise new boys on the block who dared to challenge Bob Paisley’s dream team.

They finished top of the table in their first year back in the First Division, with Liverpool in second place, and beat Paisley’s men in a League Cup Final replay to rub salt in the wounds.

To paint a picture for the uninitiated, it wasn’t a one-year wonder, either. The next season, Forest beat Liverpool in the first round of the European Cup, and went on to lift the trophy two years in a row.

In fact, the dominance of the two sides was remarkable. Liverpool were European champions in 1977, 1978, 1981 — Forest triumphed in the interim seasons.

In 1978 here in Ireland. Johnny Giles resigned as national team manager; RTÉ2 went on air for the first time; and Shergar won the Derby.

But on the football pitch it was all about Liverpool and Forest.

It was an intense but short-lived rivalry that defined a generation but has slowly been forgotten for those outside of Nottingham. Until now.

Suddenly, Forest are once again unlikely contenders in the top division and knew that victory would put them within three points of the league leaders (and title favourites).

They couldn’t do it, could they?

For a packed and noisy City Ground, it felt like an achievable dream — especially in the first half.

Forest went into this fixture having conceded just 19 league goals, bringing back memories of ’77-’78 when they conceded only 24 times in 42 games across the season.

The question was could they irritate Liverpool again?

The answer was in the affirmative.

Forest have built their season on good defending and outstanding play on the break; and they did that again here.

Liverpool had all the possession for the first 20 minutes but then a quick turnover in midfield, and then good work from Hudson-Odoi and Elanga, left Wood to finish clinically.

The big no-nonsense striker is something of a ’70s throwback himself. But he’s effective. He has scored the opening goal in nine different Premier League games already this season, which gives a glimpse of his form.

It was always going to be hard for Forest to win 1-0, however, and that dream died when Diogo Jota scored with his first touch after Slot made a double change, heading home from a set piece.

Liverpool were certainly the better side in the second half but Forest showed enough to suggest they aren’t about to tumble down the table. They defend well, control the emotion of a game, and break with pace wherever possible.

Liverpool, in the end, were happy enough with a point, which leaves their title chase intact. They do, however, have Forest rather than Arsenal, Chelsea or Man City breathing down their neck.

Who could ever have predicted that halfway through January?

There are similarities between the Forest of ’78 and the rapidly rising team of 2025. Unfussy, under rated, but cleverer and more skilful than they are given credit for.

Liverpool showed them respect at the City Ground, that’s for sure, and they may need to keep an eye on their old rivals all season.

Who fancies doing 1978 all over again?