Liverpool's Late Winners - This Season's Highs and Lows
By Rajes Anbalagan
Liverpool Football Club have always been relentless, becoming synonymous with last-minute winners. Alexis MacAllister’s recent winner against Nottingham Forest makes it 48 goals scored in the final moments of matches, which is far and away the most of any team in Premier League history. However, we’ve also been on the demoralising end of such goals in a season of late drama.
Chiesa and Salah vs Bournemouth - 15 August 2025
We started the season with two late goals that secured the win over Bournemouth after letting a 2-0 lead slip in the second half thanks to Antoine Semenyo. A goal from substitute Federico Chiesa in the 88th minute got us the momentum back, with Mo Salah wrapping up our win in the first game of the season with a 94th-minute goal.
Ngumoha vs Newcastle - 25 August 2025
Who can forget that iconic Rio Ngumoha goal in the 100th minute? After it felt like deja vu as we let another 2-0 lead slip in the second half, against a 10-man Newcastle and when all hope seemed to be lost, the youngster came on in the 96th minute to score minutes later.
Salah vs Burnley - 14 September 2025
With things looking like it was set to be a goalless draw, a handball incident proved to be the defining moment in the game. The Egyptian king converted a stoppage-time penalty to give us the win over another 10-man team with the three points sending the Reds to the top of the table.
Nketiah vs Crystal Palace - 27 September 2025
After conceding in the ninth minute to Crystal Palace, the Reds were seemingly out of the game for most of the match, until Federico Chiesa’s goal in the 87th minute. When we thought we could escape with a point, Palace’s sub of Eddie Nketiah paid dividends with a 97th-minute goal, assisted by Marc Guehi, ending our unbeaten streak.
Estêvão vs Chelsea - 4 October 2025
On the back of a disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace, the Reds were yet again on the low end of late drama, this time against fellow top four contenders Chelsea. In a similar fashion to the Palace game, Cody Gakpo cancelled out an early goal by Moises Caicedo. However, in the 95th minute, Willian Estevao pipped Chelsea to the win and earned then-manager Enzo Maresca a second yellow for celebrations.
Tanaka vs Leeds United - 6 December 2025
Despite this game ending in a 3-3 draw, it's the lead up to this result that is frustrating. Yet another two-goal lead was lost in this game against Leeds in which Slot’s men were undeniably the favourites going into.
A goalless snooze fest in the first half turned into a must-watch in the second half. Hugo Ekitike set up the Reds with two goals in mere minutes, cancelled out through a penalty given away recklessly by Konate and a poorly-defended Anton Stach goal. However, Dominik Szoboszlai hauled the Reds back in front in the 80th minute only for substitute Ao Tanaka to deny victory with a 96th-minute equaliser.
Reed vs Fulham - 4 Jan 26
New year and nothing different, as Liverpool struggled to win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Florian Wirtz cancelled out Harry Wilson’s 17th minute goal in the second half, but it wasn’t until Cody Gakpo’s 94th-minute goal that the Reds felt like the game was won. But in cruel fashion, substitute Harrison Reed sent a screamer into the top right of the goal from 30 yards away, ending the game in a disappointing draw.
Adli vs Bournemouth - 24 January 2026
It is as if this fixture was meant for drama with a late goal at Vitality Stadium going in favour of the home team. Liverpool showed grit, clawing back from a two-goal deficit in the first half, thanks to goals from captain Virgil Van Dijk and a free-kick from Szoboszlai. But this made a 95th-minute winner from Amine Adli all the more heartbreaking in a defensive nightmare for the Reds.
Haaland vs Manchester City - 8 February 2026
After a seemingly evenly-matched game, Dominik Szoboszlai celebrated a free-kick goal in the 74th minute which may have made Liverpool’s defence disappear as the Reds conceded ten minutes later, courtesy of Bernardo Silva.
A 93rd-minute penalty from Erling Haaland put the nail in the coffin for Liverpool but not before more late drama ensued that with a hugely controversial red card for Szoboszlai in the 103rd minute for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity despite the ball ending up in the back of the net.
MacAllister vs Nottingham Forest - 22 February 2026
This leads up to the most recent game, where late drama was in Liverpool’s favour.
After a dismal performance in the first half that was dominated by Forest, the Reds mustered up the courage to battle back in the closing minutes of the match.
The 91st minute saw a bizarre goal from Alexis MacAllister, which did not stand after a VAR review deemed the goal to have been bounced off the player’s elbow and not his back.
However, in a repeat of the same sequence, MacAllister earned that achievement in the 97th minute by tapping in a goal which, this time, stood and gifted the Argentine his first goal of the season.
Liverpool’s form (and luck) seems to be changing in recent times, but it's clear they need to stay locked in, especially in the final moments of matches, as anything can happen.