With the International Break over until March, football’s attention returns to the league.

Liverpool’s stop/start season continues to frustrate many and confuse even more, but after two weeks away from the Anfield cauldron, hopefully Liverpool can return to some sort of confident form against a Nottingham Forest team looking to jumpstart their own season.

Forest are already on to their third manager this season, with Sean Dyche coming in at the end of the failed reign of Ange Postecoglou ending in October, after himself replacing Nuno Espírito Santo 39 days before.

All in, Nottingham Forest are currently in 19th place, a point from safety after 11 games.

So on the face of it, it is the perfect time for Liverpool to get a much needed result after just one win in the last six league games.

However, Forest seemed to be returning to some level of stability, with Dyche already winning more games than Postecoglou in his first seven games.

Meanwhile, based on last season, where they beat Liverpool in a ‘smash and grab’ win, and despite their current woes, it looks like it could be another tough game in the league for Liverpool.

Team News

Alison Becker has returned to full training this weekend, and is in line for his first start in seven weeks. Jeremie Frimpong continues to be out, along with Giovanni Leoni as Liverpool's only long term injury. The good news is that there are no new injuries after the International Break.

Things aren't as clear sailing for Nottingham, full back Ola Aina is definitely out, as is midfielder Douglas Luis, both with thigh strains. They join Dilane Nakwa, Angus Gunn, and Chris Woods on the Forest treatment table.

For them, however, the return of Calumn Hudson-Odio offers an attacking threat that has likely been missing from Forest’s recent games.

Possible Outcome 

As has been a theme for Liverpool this season, the Red’s biggest backstep from last season was a lack of goal scoring threat. 

Last time out against Manchester City, of Liverpool’s seven shots at goal, only one was on target, despite seven corners and 51.5% of possession. So if Liverpool are ever going to turn this season around, the forward line will need to start turning even the most fleeting opportunity into a credible chance.

But at the same time, the midfield will need to be less passive and more savvy than they were against the Citizens. Liverpool’s entire game plan, for well over a decade by this point, is built around a strong midfield - if that strength isn’t there, then Liverpool’s season really is over before Christmas. 

The good news is that Nottingham Forest are even further from their ‘peak’ of last year than Liverpool are. At this point, in 11 games, last season Forest were fifth, had scored 15 and conceded 10. Compare that to this year, where they have won only twice and already conceded 20. 

So ultimately, if Liverpool play to their strengths, then this should be a foregone conclusion. However, if their fluctuating form continues, then Nottingham Forest will only have to play broadly the same as they did last season, with them snatching a late 1-0 win at Anfield. 

Predicted XI

Liverpool:  Alison, Kerkes, Van Dijk, Konate, Bradley, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Salah, Eitike

Nottingham Forrest:  Matz Sels, Savona, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Igor Jesus

Match Prediction

With the season entering the busy winter phase, Liverpool really need to start picking the points and results that have so markedly been missing so far this season. A win could see the Reds move into third, whilst a loss could see them slip into the bottom half of the table. So, arguably, this is a much more important match than the City game.

Forest have a good record at Anfield, winning when the teams met there last season. Then, as now, they are a team that is hard to break down and will look to frustrate the Reds in front of their home crowd.

That said, this isn’t the Nottingham Forest of last season, and although the shoots of improvement are there, this is probably the perfect time to play them.

Expect a close game, with a single goal in it.

Result: Liverpool 2-1 Nottingham Forest