Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said he "couldn't have asked for more" from his side against title contenders Nottingham Forest.

Forest held the league leaders to a 1-1 draw at The City Ground on Tuesday night, with a Diogo Jota header in the second-half cancelling out an early goal by the in-form Chris Wood.

Liverpool looked far from their best against Nuno Espirito Santo's side, but they remain six points clear at the top of the Premier League table, with a game in hand on many of the teams below them, and Slot was quick to commend the efforts of his players after the match.

"I couldn't have asked for more today," the Dutchman said. "I think that most people would talk really positively about the second half but if you play at this ground against this team who are in such good form, hardly concedes a chance in every single game, and have so many counter-attack threats.

"We conceded only one counter-attack today in 98 minutes of football. That's total domination."

He added: "Being 1-0 down here, and they're so hard to score against this team. It's not what we wanted. We wanted three points, but what I want and what the fans and the players should want is for them to give it their all during every single game they play and that's what they did today."

It was another impressive display by Forest, though goalkeeper Mats Selz was forced into action several times in the second half to keep out Jota and Cody Gakpo.

Asked whether he views Forest as genuine title contenders, Slot said: "I don't think they are here because of luck. For every team, they are difficult to play against. They have already had some difficult away games, against [Manchester] United, [Man] City, Arsenal, us.

"That shows you that they are a team that can compete in the top end of the league table."

Slot's opposing number felt the same about the performance of his surprise package Forest side and applauded the fans for the "special atmosphere" they created on the night.

"Tonight was a lesson for us, because this is how we want to compete," Nuno said. "I am very proud of how we played.

"Tonight was a special atmosphere. I don't look at the league table at this stage, we have to keep going."

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has said he would throw a party on the island of Mallorca should the Premier League strip Manchester City of their titles due to breaches of financial regulations.

Klopp's Liverpool finished second to Pep Guardiola and his all-conquering City team twice, first in 2018-19 and again in 2021-22.

The Premier League referred City to an independent commission in February 2023 over 115 alleged contraventions of financial rules dating from 2009 to 2018. The club have always denied any wrongdoing.

At his first public appearance as Red Bull's head of global soccer, Klopp was asked about how he would react should the commission find City guilty and remove the league titles from their honours list.

"We had this discussion when I left," Klopp said. "I haven't spent a lot of time in Mallorca because I am always flying around the place. But if it would happen, I told all the people who wanted to [come]: 'Just book a flight to Mallorca. I will buy the beer!' We'd have our own parade in my garden."

The German coach added that he had not followed the details of the hearing, which began in September last year, and that he did not know when a verdict was due.

Klopp was also questioned on the ongoing contract sagas around three of Liverpool's key players during his tenure.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are all out of contract at the end of the season, with Klopp's replacement Arne Slot frequently asked about the trio's futures at his news conferences.

"I'm so happy I'm not in charge with that situation and having to answer those questions every week," Klopp joked.

"I'd love all three of them to extend their contracts. They don't tell me what is going on. When Virgil is 41 to 44, I'm sure he'd love to play for New York ... I'd welcome him with open arms."

Klopp told the news conference that he hoped Salah would stay at the club, naming him as Liverpool's greatest striker of the modern era, as well as going on a tirade about this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

"I think it's useless. It doesn't help if you have no summer break," he said.

"Who wins the tournament is the poorest winner of all time because he has to play the whole summer through and then the league starts again. We have now a lot of injuries in European football.

"We have to reduce the amount of games. That means in some leagues it would be better [if] you have 18 instead of 20. That means in other competitions, you don't add games."

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Manchester City threw away a two-goal lead as Yoane Wissa and Christian Nørgaard scored late goals to earn hosts Brentford a 2-2 draw in a Premier League thriller on Tuesday.

After suffering six league defeats in November and December, City had bounced back with a draw against Everton and wins over Leicester City and West Ham, but Tuesday's late collapse brought their short-lived revival to an abrupt halt.

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

After struggling to create chances in the first half, Man 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 Erling Haaland headed straight at the keeper when he really 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 with a deft volley from Foden, who steered it in at the far post.

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

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

Denmark international Nørgaard completed 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.

City manager Pep Guardiola was animated at the final whistle, both hugging and berating his goalkeeper after another underwhelming display by his side.

"We just looked tired at the end in the last 20 minutes, we looked leggy," Foden said. "They put longer balls into the box and we didn't deal with the physicality in the end.

"It's definitely picked up from previously and performances are a lot better than they were. We've still got steps to go to where we want to be but as long as we keep making them small steps and improving that's what we're aiming to do."

Things were a lot brighter for the Brentford players after their display of character was rewarded with a point.

"I don't know how we did it," Nørgaard said. "We stayed in the game even though we were 2-0 down. We hung in there ... And I'm proud of the way we managed to come back in the game.

"We aren't here to lose by one so when Wissa got one back ... I don't know how I ended up there but it was nice to see it go in. Even though I'm not a striker I tend to listen in the meetings. I just attacked the gap and I was fortunate to see it go in."

NOTTINGHAM, England -- Arne Slot is no stranger to being serenaded on the touchline. Adored at previous club Feyenoord Rotterdam, the Liverpool head coach has quickly grown accustomed to hearing supporters at Anfield -- and in away ends up and down the country -- singing his praises from the terraces as his team have so masterfully swept nearly all before them.

But on Tuesday night, it was the Nottingham Forest fans who made Slot the subject of their attentions as Nuno Espirito Santo's side battled to halt their visitors' march toward the Premier League title, holding Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at The City Ground.

"Arne Slot, it's happening again!" crowed the Forest fans after Chris Wood notched his 13th league goal of the season to give the hosts the lead inside eight minutes. Indeed, for more than an hour of this contest, it looked as if Forest were about to inflict just Liverpool's second league defeat of the season, having also dispatched Slot's men at Anfield in September.

That Liverpool fought back to clinch a precious point, secured via a 66th-minute header from Diogo Jota, is a testament to both the Reds' character and quality. However, Tuesday night's epic at The City Ground offered further proof -- if it were needed -- that there are still plenty more twists and turns to come in this title race.

If, on the eve of this Premier League season, this game had been billed as a potential title decider, few would have been inclined to take notice. After all, Forest finished last term in 17th place, just six points outside of the relegation zone.

It is for that reason September's shock triumph at Anfield caused such a stir, with even Slot himself conceding Liverpool's conquerors that day "do not normally end up in the top 10." But that win has since proved to be more than a flash in the pan, with Forest having continued to impress, defying expectation to climb up to second in the table.

A victory against the league leaders on Tuesday would have seen Forest move to within three points of the top spot, and perhaps that prospect was weighing heavily on the minds of Slot's players as they toiled on the banks of the River Trent.

Admittedly, it has not been a particularly happy new year for Liverpool. After bidding farewell to 2024 with a statement victory against strugglers West Ham United, the first two weeks of 2025 have seen cracks start to appear in the Reds' previously impenetrable armour.

Liverpool's 4-0 victory over League Two side Accrington Stanley at the weekend was their first win since the turn of the year, following a pulsating draw with Manchester United in the league and a narrow defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals.

Against Forest, all the early signs seemed to point to Liverpool's descent into a mini-crisis as a combination of poor decision-making and erratic finishing meant Slot's side headed into the interval without having registered a single shot on target.

Liverpool did improve slightly after the break, but it wasn't until Slot turned to his bench that his team were able to make the breakthrough. The introduction of Jota and Kostas Tsimikas, in place of Ibrahima Konaté and Andy Robertson, proved to be a masterstroke as, just 22 seconds after the substitution was made, Liverpool were level; Jota having headed home from Tsimikas' corner.

After that, Slot's side appeared to recover some of the swagger that has defined much of their season to date, with only the interventions of an inspired Matz Sels in the Forest goal and some admirable last-ditch defending keeping Liverpool at bay.

"I couldn't have asked for more today," Slot admitted in his post-match news conference. "I think that most people would talk really positively about the second half but if you play at this ground against this team who are in such good form, who hardly concede a chance in every single game, and have so many counter-attack threats .. we conceded only one counter-attack today in 98 minutes of football. That's total domination."

While those of a Forest persuasion might beg to differ with Slot's assertion, Liverpool's second-half display at least ensures they retain their six-point cushion at the top of the table. The league leaders no longer appear infallible but one look at the rest of Tuesday night's results is irrefutable proof that they do not need to be.

Both Manchester City and Chelsea dropped points while Arsenal, who will face bitter rivals Tottenham on Wednesday, have also looked some way off their best in recent weeks, with striker Gabriel Jesus now having joined stricken talisman Bukayo Saka on the sidelines.

Forest, of course, remain a threat, having proved on Tuesday that they are capable of going toe-to-toe with the very best.

"I don't think they are here because of luck," Slot conceded. "For every team, they are difficult to play against. They have already had some difficult away games, against United, City, Arsenal, us. That shows you that they are a team that can compete in the top end of the league table."

But while Forest and Co. will keep applying the pressure, Liverpool must simply look to keep their heads. It might not be the procession to the title that looked to be taking shape just a few weeks ago but, for now at least, Slot's side remain firmly in the driving seat.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng won't be repeating her surprising run to the Australian Open final in 2025 after a second-round upset loss to No. 97-ranked Laura Siegemund on Wednesday.

Zheng lost the 2024 championship match at Melbourne Park to Aryna Sabalenka and went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Paris and finish runner-up at the WTA Finals in a breakout season.

But her first tournament of the year ended in a 7-6 (3), 6-3 loss on John Cain Arena against 36-year-old Siegemund, who played aggressively from the first point and put Zheng off her game.

At 36, Siegemund is the third-oldest player to beat a WTA top-five player at the Australian Open in the past 30 years. The only one older: Serena Williams, who did so at 39 years old in 2021 (defeated No. 2 Simona Halep) and as a 37-year-old in 2019 (defeated No. 1 Halep).

Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, extended her run to 16 wins at Melbourne Park by winning the last five games to beat No. 54-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5.

The score line didn't indicate the difficulty of the match, with Bouzas Maneiro taking huge swipes at the ball in her Australian Open debut and dictating some of the points against the world No. 1-ranked player. Her serve let her down, with Sabalenka able to relieve some pressure on her own serve with five breaks.

No. 7 Jessica Pegula had a 6-4, 6-2 win over Elise Mertens to reach the third round, along with Belinda Bencic and No. 23 Magdalena Frech.

Siegemund has never been past the third round in Australia, but is taking confidence from her big upset. Her only lapse was when she was broken serving for the first set. She recovered to dominate the tiebreaker, while Zheng remained too conservative in her tactics until right near the end.

"I knew I just had to play more than my best test. I had nothing to lose. I just told myself to swing free," Siegemund said. Zheng is "an amazing player. One of the best players right now, but I know I can play well and I wanted to show that to myself."

Siegemund became the first unseeded German woman to defeat a top-five seed at the Australian Open since 2003, when Marlene Weingartner ousted Jennifer Capriati in the opening round.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Tiger Woods was the sixth and final player to emerge from the tunnel and onto the field of play for his TGL debut Tuesday night.

No one announced his name. Wasn't necessary.

Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" blared and that was more than enough of an introduction for perhaps golf's greatest player. It's not like anyone inside SoFi Center at Palm Beach State College didn't know who Woods was, and most were even probably aware of how he, Rory McIlroy and others spent years trying to make this notion of indoor golf on TV happen.

"It is a reality now," Woods said.

Week 2 of TGL was Tuesday night -- Woods joined Kevin Kisner and Max Homa of Jupiter Links Golf Club to take on the Los Angeles Golf Club of Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala.

The final score: Los Angeles 12, Jupiter 1 in the 15-hole, made-for-TV team match featuring nine holes of alternate shot triples play, followed by six holes of singles play -- two holes for each player on each team. Woods was smiling throughout, even with the lopsided score. The format is such that he only took 20 shots over the course of the match, which lasted just over 2 hours.

Woods' team got itself on the wrong side of the scoreboard quickly, getting down 5-0. It could have been worse if Woods hadn't made an 8-footer for par to help his team get a tie on the fifth hole. That putt came one hole after Woods slid a 7-footer wide to the left.

"It's about time, Tiger," tennis legend Serena Williams said on the ESPN broadcast. Williams is a longtime friend of Woods, so she found herself rooting for him -- and she is part of the ownership group of the Los Angeles Golf Club, so she found herself simultaneously rooting against him.

There were vintage Woods moments, like staring down shots he liked as the super-high-tech videoboards told the tale of where the ball would have gone outdoors. There were also frustrating ones; he shook his head after he sent a 101-yard wedge into the water on the second hole of the 15-hole match -- as son Charlie, sitting in one of the seats in the arena overlooking the course, couldn't help but laugh.

Williams sat in the Los Angeles box just to the right of the players' teeing areas, enjoying the spectacle of the walk-out introductions, light and smoke shows and booming music.

"It's so wild," Williams said. "It's something that you see a little bit in tennis. We see it all the time in basketball, right? We don't really see it so much in golf. Actually, we never see that in golf. It's so good to kind of see their personalities and see them shine as golfers. ... It's so cool to see a new aspect."

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin has a message for any team considering inquiring with the Steelers about his availability in a potential trade.

"Save your time," the head coach said Tuesday in his season-ending news conference.

After the Steelers' fifth consecutive one-and-done trip to the playoffs, Tomlin's job status and future with the organization has been a hot topic of debate and source of consternation among fans. Tomlin, who signed a three-year extension last offseason and just completed his 18th season at the helm, said he understands their frustration.

"I understand the nature of what it is that we do, the attention and criticism that comes with it," he said. "As a matter of fact, I embrace it, to be quite honest with you. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do.

"I don't make excuses for failure. I own it, but I also feel like I'm capable and so as long as I'm afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue, but I certainly understand their frustrations and probably more importantly than that, I share it because that's how I'm wired."

Tomlin expressed his disappointment with the way the season ended throughout his final news conference, but he admitted that the five-game slide to end the season, capped with a 28-14 wild-card loss to the Ravens was "football justice."

"I don't view it as misfortune, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said. "Particularly at this level in this business and game, there's football justice. You get what you deserve, and so we are here and we're here for really tangible reasons. We didn't involve in the right ways. We didn't strike the right chords at the right time, particularly down the stretch."

Tomlin said there would be "changes" in the organization, but he didn't detail specifics, saying the postseason debrief was in its infancy. He met with his players as a group Monday and also began individual exit meetings. He also met with owner Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan.

"Certainly, there's change that comes when we don't have the desired outcome, and so those are just the realities of the business," Tomlin said. "I would imagine there's going to be some things that change around here on a lot of levels, but that's this game as I've mentioned, and so I understand that. I'm open to that really just beginning the processes of some of the decision-making that has to transpire."

Among the potential changes is the makeup of the quarterback room. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are on expiring contracts, and the team signed quarterback Skylar Thompson on Tuesday afternoon, Thompson's agency announced on social media. Thompson, selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft, appeared in 10 games for Miami with three starts over two seasons and had one touchdown and three interceptions.

Wilson said Monday "the plan" is to be in Pittsburgh in 2025, but he later admitted he hasn't met with the Steelers yet to begin those discussions.

Tomlin said he believes both Wilson and Fields can help the Steelers take the next step in getting to where the organization wants to go.

"Just their professionalism, approach to business, their relationship with the game was an encouragement in that regard," Tomlin said explaining his belief.

Tomlin also said he had belief in Fields, who went 4-2 in six starts to open the season, to be a 17-game starter if Wilson ultimately opts to depart in free agency.

"I thought that the way that he managed his professional circumstance was really impressive," Tomlin said. "I thought he brought an urgency to his day-to-day work regardless of his role. I thought he got continually better within our system of ball throughout the process. I thought the way he conducted himself makes that a legitimate thought or idea at this juncture."

And though he said he doesn't believe the organization is stuck despite six playoff losses in eight years, Tomlin also didn't go out of his way to offer hope and optimism about the future.

"I'm certainly disappointed that I'm not working to prepare to play this week," he said. "And I've certainly felt that in recent years, but stuck is kind of a helpless feeling, and I don't know that I feel helpless."

He added: "I don't know that I'm ready to be overly optimistic or sell optimism to you either. I'm just acknowledging what transpired and what has to happen and what is beginning to happen and acknowledging the complexity and the amount of work that's ahead of us. Certainly feel capable, but definitely don't feel in the mood for optimism or the selling of optimism. I don't know that that's appropriate. It is disappointing not to be working and so that's where we are."

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving returned for Tuesday night's home game against the Denver Nuggets.

Irving, who is averaging 24.3 points and 4.9 assists per game this season, was sidelined the past week because of a lower back injury.

The Mavs went 2-3 during the five games that Irving missed.

Irving was listed as out due to illness for the Mavs' Jan. 3 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team announced before the next game that he had a lumbar sprain in his lower back.

Sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that Irving has been dealing with a bulging disk in his lower back.

Mavs co-star Luka Doncic has been sidelined since straining his left calf during a Christmas loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is scheduled to be reevaluated the last week of January.