Prediction: Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest

Liverpool return to Anfield for the first time in the 2026-27 Premier League season on Saturday, when Nottingham Forest make the trip to Merseyside.

While the Reds will be looking to build on a hard-earned point from their opening-weekend draw at Newcastle United, Forest arrive under pressure after suffering back-to-back defeats in both league and cup competition.

Liverpool

A new era is underway at Anfield under Andoni Iraola, but Liverpool’s opening performance against Newcastle suggested there is still significant work to be done before the Spaniard’s ideas are fully embedded.

The Reds salvaged a dramatic 2-2 draw at St James’ Park thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time penalty, yet the result did little to mask some familiar flaws. Liverpool looked vulnerable defensively throughout the contest and struggled at times to control transitions through midfield.

Much of the post-match discussion focused on the midfield pairing of Ryan Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, whose defensive shortcomings were exposed during Newcastle’s goals. The club have since been linked with further reinforcement in that area as Iraola attempts to reshape the squad in his image.

Going forward, there were also signs that the attack remains a work in progress. Alexander Isak led the line but received limited service for long periods, while Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo showed flashes of quality without consistently troubling the Newcastle defence.

Despite those concerns, Liverpool will take confidence from their remarkable record in opening home fixtures. The Reds have won 12 of their last 13 first league matches at Anfield and will expect another strong atmosphere on Saturday.

Team News

Team news remains relatively unchanged. Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni continue their recoveries from knee injuries, while Joe Gomez is unavailable with a muscle problem. Hugo Ekitike remains sidelined as he works his way back from an Achilles injury.

As a result, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are expected to start in the full-back positions, with Virgil van Dijk partnering Jeremy Jacquet in central defence. Further forward, Florian Wirtz should operate behind Alexander Isak alongside Gakpo and Ngumoha.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest’s latest rebuild has yet to generate positive results, and Oliver Glasner finds himself under early scrutiny following a difficult start to the season.

The Tricky Trees suffered a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United in their Premier League opener before losing 2-0 to the same opponents in the EFL Cup only a few days later. Those setbacks have extended concerns surrounding a team that has struggled to find attacking fluency in recent months.

Forest have now failed to score in four of their last six matches, a statistic that will be particularly worrying ahead of a trip to Anfield. While Glasner has only recently taken charge, another disappointing result would inevitably increase pressure on the Austrian.

There are, however, reasons for optimism. Forest have proven awkward opponents for Liverpool in recent seasons, losing only one of their last four meetings with the Merseyside club while recording two victories and a draw during that sequence.

The visitors will also feel they can exploit Liverpool’s defensive vulnerabilities if they can transition quickly and create opportunities on the counter-attack.

Team News

In terms of squad availability, Nicolo Savona remains absent following a setback in his recovery from a knee injury. Former Liverpool man Neco Williams is also a doubt after picking up a knock during the recent defeat to Leeds.

If Williams misses out, Luca Netz and Ola Aina should operate as wing-backs outside a defensive trio consisting of Jair Cunha, Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo.

Elsewhere, Ryan Yates remains sidelined, while Morgan Gibbs-White faces a race against time to recover from a knee strain. Forest remain hopeful that their influential playmaker will be available.

Key Factors to Consider

• Liverpool are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 opening home league fixtures.
• Andoni Iraola is taking charge of his first Premier League match at Anfield.
• Nottingham Forest have lost both competitive matches since the season began.
• The Tricky Trees have failed to score in four of their last six outings.
• Liverpool showed defensive vulnerability in their 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
• Forest have lost only one of their last four meetings with the Reds.

Conclusion

Liverpool were some way short of their best against Newcastle, but a first home match under Iraola should bring extra energy and intensity from both players and supporters.

Forest have often troubled the Reds in recent meetings and may fancy their chances of creating opportunities against a defence that looked vulnerable on opening day. However, the visitors’ struggles in front of goal are difficult to ignore.

Expect Liverpool to improve significantly at Anfield and secure their first victory of the campaign, although Forest may still find a way onto the scoresheet in what should be an entertaining encounter.

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