Liverpool’s opening-day draw was a chaotic affair, but their underlying numbers at Anfield against a Forest side that drew a blank last weekend point to a far more controlled performance here. Forest’s 3-4-2-1 shape will be tested by the hosts’ 4-2-3-1, particularly given the…
Sign in for full analysis →Sign in to view how our call changed
Sign inLiverpool welcome Nottingham Forest to Anfield for a Premier League lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, August 29, as new head coach Andoni Iraola takes charge of his first home game. The Reds arrive back on Merseyside after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Newcastle on the opening weekend, while Oliver Glasner’s Forest seek a first league win of the campaign.
Iraola faces a selection headache in his first competitive match at Anfield. Hugo Ekitike is a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury and is not expected back until the end of the year. Conor Bradley, Joseph Gomez, Vitezslav Jaros, Stefan Bajcetic, and Giovanni Leoni are all also unavailable, while goalkeeper Wataru Endo remains doubtful with an undisclosed issue.
A fresh concern surrounds Federico Chiesa, who missed the trip to St James’ Park with a fitness problem and has not yet returned to full training. Iraola offered no post-match update on the Italian, leaving his involvement against Forest in serious doubt.
For the visitors, Glasner confirmed that club captain Ryan Yates and defender Nicolo Savona will not feature. Yates is nursing what is described as a minor problem, but Savona has suffered a setback in his recovery from a serious knee injury that has kept him out since January. Glasner admitted the Italian’s knee “reacted on the load more than we wanted,” forcing him back into gym work. Deadline-day signing Ousmane Diomande is expected to make his debut in a back three.
Liverpool left it late to rescue a point against Newcastle on the opening day. Trailing 2-1 in the 96th minute, Victor Munoz earned a penalty on his competitive debut, and Dominik Szoboszlai thumped the spot-kick into the roof of the net to seal a 2-2 draw. Iraola will be encouraged that his side twice fought back from losing positions, though he will demand defensive improvement against a Forest team that can exploit mistakes on the break.
Forest fell to a narrow defeat in their Premier League opener, leaving them 15th in the early standings. Glasner has insisted his squad is “on a good track” after implementing tactical changes since his arrival, but he acknowledged the group is “not at 100%.” With a large squad at his disposal and no European football this season, several senior players are expected to miss out on the matchday squad entirely as competition for places intensifies.
Liverpool’s engine room, likely missing Bajcetic and potentially Endo, must contain a Forest midfield built around the creative influence of Morgan Gibbs-White, who scored 15 Premier League goals last term. Xaver Schlager is pushing for a first start in the centre of the park following Elliot Anderson’s departure, and his duel with Liverpool’s own ball-carriers will be central to which team dictates the tempo. If Chiesa is absent again, the hosts will lean heavily on Szoboszlai’s late-game heroics to unlock a Forest back five.
Victory for Liverpool would give Iraola lift-off in front of the Anfield crowd, while three points for Forest would quickly dispel any early-season anxiety ahead of their midweek Carabao Cup tie.
Sign in to view squad availability
Sign inSign in to view group standings
Sign inSign in to view match stats
Sign inSign in to view player ratings
Sign inSign in to view lineups
Sign inSign in to view head to head
Sign in
