Two of Leeds United’s key rivals were in action early on Sunday afternoon.

Leeds United’s key rivals Nottingham Forest have been dealt a crushing fresh blow as part of a double Whites landscape change in the club’s quest for Premier League survival.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa ultimately kept Leeds six points clear of the relegation zone as third-bottom West Ham also drew 0-0 with Saturday evening’s visitors Bournemouth.

United’s point at Villa Park also took them four points ahead of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest but with Forest hosting Liverpool on Sunday in their game in hand.

The contest marked new boss Vitor Pereira’s first league game in charge of the Reds who had the chance to kick five points clear of West Ham and to get within a point of the Whites.

After chances for both sides, the contest looked set to end in a goalless draw yet Alexis Mac Allister incredibly netted a 97th-minute winner to give the Reds a 1-0 victory in a crushing fresh blow for Forest.

Massive twist deals hammer blow

Mac Allister looked to have won for Liverpool a few minutes earlier when Ola Ania’s clearance near the line smashed back off the Liverpool player and into the back of the net.

The goal, though, was disallowed after VAR intervened and ruled that the ball had come off Mac Allister’s elbow.

Yet in one final huge twist, Mac Allister netted in Liverpool’s final attack of the game, leaving Forest four points behind Leeds and only two ahead of West Ham.

Saturday’s draw at Villa also took Leeds just one point behind 14th-placed Crystal Palace who took on improving basement side Wolves on Sunday in another 2pm kick-off.

Palace looked set to blow their lines in another game appearing destined for a goalless draw but Evann Guessand netted a 90th-minute winner to seal a 1-0 win for the Eagles.

In a double Leeds landscape change, victory for Palace has taken them up to 13th place, four points above Leeds who now have Brighton directly above them but three points ahead of them.