LONDON: Substitute Diogo Jota’s second-half header earned Liverpool a battling 1-1 draw with surprise title rivals Nottingham Forest, keeping the Premier League leaders six points clear at the top of the standings.

High-flying Forest, who won at Anfield earlier in the season after narrowly avoiding relegation last term, raced into the lead after only eight minutes through Chris Wood with eight minutes on the clock. Liverpool risked a second league defeat of term until newly-arrived Jota headed home a 66th-minute equaliser from a corner.

Jota and Mohamed Salah went close to securing victory for Liverpool late on but found home goalkeeper Matz Sels in inspired form. Instead, the draw ensured Arne Slot’s team sit six points above second-placed Forest, who have played a game more.

Champions Manchester City threw away a two-goal lead as Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard scored late goals to earn the hosts a 2-2 draw in west London.

City, having suffeed six league defeats in November and December, revived with a draw against Everton and wins over Leicester City and West Ham United, but Tuesday’s late collapse brought their short-lived revival to an abrupt halt.

The point leaves them sixth on 35, 12 adrift of leaders Liverpool, who drew 1-1 at second-placed Nottingham Forest, while the Bees are 10th on 28 following an unlikely comeback.

After struggling to create chances in the first half, City winger Savinho went close to breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute, marauding forward through the left channel before thumping a shot off the foot of the post.

Two minutes later City striker Erling Haaland headed straight at the keeper when he should have scored.

The breakthrough finally came for City in the 66th minute when a brilliant ball from the right by Kevin De Bruyne was met by Foden, who steered a deft volley in at the far post.

The game should have been over when Foden made it 2-0 12 minutes later by reacting quickest to rattle home the rebound, after Savinho’s shot was saved, to silence the home fans.

Four minutes later, however, Brentford’s Wissa ensured a nervy finish when he fired in from close range to reduce the deficit and, with City’s defenders having made several last-ditch interventions to protect the lead, they should have been aware of the threat posed by the hosts.

But Denmark international Norgaard was allowed to complete the comeback two minutes into added time, getting enough power on his glancing header to send it past Stefan Ortega, despite the City keeper getting a strong hand to it.

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