Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi after he helped the Reds beat the Anfield side at the City Ground.
Steve Cooper’s charges recorded arguably their biggest victory in recent years on Saturday. They ran out 1-0 winners over Liverpool in the Premier League.
And Awoniyi, who came through the ranks at Anfield, was the man who gave Forest the win with the only goal of the game.
During his time on the books at Liverpool, Awoniyi had seven loan spells. However, he never made a competitive appearance for them.
He eventually left Anfield permanently, signing for Union Berlin in 2021 after his loan spell there in 2020-21.
Awoniyi did so well at Union that BZ-Berlin ranked him at number 14 in their top 50 players of all time.
And on Saturday, he scored a goal that will surely have nudged him a little higher up on the equivalent Forest list.
In the 55th minute, Awoniyi volleyed into the roof of the Liverpool net from close range after initially hitting the post.
Klopp, speaking to BBC Sport after the match, praised the former Anfield man’s “sensational development”.
The Liverpool boss also said he was happy for Awoniyi, albeit not so much in wake of his side’s defeat.
“He had a sensational development,” said Klopp. “He has arrived where he belongs and I am happy for him, but not today so much.”
Aside from helping Forest beat a huge opponent, Awoniyi’s goal saw the Reds edge off the bottom of the table.
The Reds are now on nine points, level with Wolves, Aston Villa, and Leeds.