Theirry Henry claims Nottingham star is the reason they were in complete control of the game and Liverpool stood no chance

Thierry Henry Hails Nottingham Forest’s Unsung Hero Elliot Anderson After Stunning Anfield Upset

In a night that will haunt Liverpool supporters for years, Nottingham Forest delivered a masterclass at Anfield, dismantling the Reds 3-0 in a result that reeks of crisis for Arne Slot’s beleaguered side. Goals from Murillo, Nicola Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White propelled the Tricky Trees to their biggest-ever victory on Merseyside, leaping them out of the relegation mire and into mid-table safety. Yet, amid the goal-scoring fireworks, it was one unheralded performer who caught the eye of Arsenal legend and pundit extraordinaire Thierry Henry.

Speaking on CBS Sports’ post-match analysis, Henry reserved his highest praise not for the net-busters, but for Forest’s tenacious midfielder Elliot Anderson. The 23-year-old Geordie, on loan from Newcastle United, didn’t etch his name on the scoresheet, but his tireless engine and clutch interventions were the glue holding Sean Dyche’s counter-attacking blueprint together. “Elliot Anderson? What a player,” Henry gushed, his trademark charisma lighting up the studio. “In a game like this, where Liverpool are throwing everything at you, it’s the quiet destroyers who win it. He was everywhere—breaking up play, covering acres, and that goalline clearance? Pure instinct. If Forest stay up, it’s lads like him they’ll thank.”

Anderson’s afternoon was a symphony of subtle excellence. From the opening whistle, he shadowed Liverpool’s creative fulcrum, Alexis Mac Allister, into submission, completing 92% of his passes while winning seven of nine duels. His positional awareness snuffed out Trent Alexander-Arnold’s overlaps time and again, forcing the England right-back into uncharacteristic errors. But it was his 67th-minute heroics that stole the show: with Anfield roaring and Mohamed Salah bearing down on an open goal following a parried shot from Darwin Núñez, Anderson hurled himself backward, nodding the ball off the line with a desperation that embodied Forest’s underdog spirit. VAR confirmed the clearance, but the momentum swing was seismic—Forest countered ruthlessly moments later, paving the way for Gibbs-White’s insurance strike.

Henry, no stranger to high-stakes battles from his Invincibles heyday, drew parallels to his own career. “I remember games where I’d score the headlines, but it was the Patrick Vieiras in the midfield who made it possible. Anderson’s got that Vieira steel—unspectacular, but unbreakable. Nottingham Forest have found a gem here. If I were Dyche, I’d be begging to make that loan permanent yesterday.”

For Liverpool, the defeat— their eighth in 11 league games—plunged them into the bottom half, with Slot’s title defense in tatters. Set-piece frailty and a lack of cutting edge exposed deeper wounds, but across the Trent, jubilation reigned. Anderson, ever the modest pro, deflected plaudits post-match: “Just did my job. The lads up top did the rest.”

As Forest dream of consolidation under the City Ground lights, Henry’s endorsement feels like a clarion call. In the Premier League’s brutal theater, heroes aren’t always the finishers—they’re the fighters who tip the scales. Elliot Anderson, take a bow.