By Joel Lefevre

Seeking consecutive Premier League away triumphs for the first time all year, Liverpool will visit the City Ground on Sunday for a date with Nottingham Forest.

A 1-0 win at Sunderland last week has the Reds sitting sixth in the table heading into this weekend, with Forest three points above the relegation line, earning a 0-0 draw with Wolves the last time out.

Having dropped massive points in the Premier League and out of the Carabao Cup it is only fair that Slot fights for a trophy that feels within reach to water down the effect of what has been underwhelming season after huge summer splurge.

The players lived up to expectations with Milos Kerkez recording one of his best performances in a Liverpool shirt bursting down the right flank with so much energy.

In the end he was rewarded with an assist to Curtis Jones for the first goal.

Match Preview

Credit: Liverpool FC

Outside of a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City, things are looking a lot rosier in Merseyside for Arne Slot and his team in recent times. Liverpool have won four of their previous five competitive fixtures, conceding no goals in their last two outings. They have won just three of their last 11 matches played away from home in this competition and on Sunday could earn consecutive triumphs outside Anfield for the first time since last September.

Entering this weekend, they are three points below Manchester United for one of the four automatic places in the League Phase of next season’s Champions League. So far this season, they have never lost domestically when netting the opening goal away from home, dropping points in only one such instance, drawing Leeds United 3-3 at Elland Road in December. Only one of their previous 15 league away games with Forest ended with Liverpool collecting maximum points, when a Darwin Núñez strike earned them a 1-0 win in March 2024.

For much of the campaign, the club from West Bridgford have been hovering near the bottom of the table, barely staying above the relegation zone. Now, they’ve entrusted Vitor Pereira to ensure they remain in the top-flight beyond this season, with the former Wolves and Porto manager becoming the fourth coach at the club in 2025-26. The six Forest managers before him all lost their first Premier League match in charge, with the last one to avoid that fate being David Bassett in 1997 against Tottenham Hotspur (1-0).

If there’s a Premier League side who handle set pieces worse than Liverpool, it could be Forest, who have allowed 13 goals from deadball situations (excluding penalties), just one fewer than their upcoming opponents. 

Meanwhile, the Garibaldis have failed to score in 12 Premier League affairs in this campaign, with only Wolves doing worse (14). That said, Forest are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Liverpool and could complete their first league double over them since 1962-63 on Sunday.

Team News

Credit: This is Anfield

On the Liverpool side, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are out with knee injuries, Jayden Danns and Stefan Bajcetic are dealing with hamstring strains, and Alexander Isak has an ankle injury.

Nearing a return is Jeremie Frimpong, who has missed time with a sore groin, while Waturu Endo could miss another game because of a foot issue.

Captain Virgil van Dijk had the only goal for them against Sunderland, while Mohamed Salah collected his 92nd career assist, equalling Steven Gerrard’s club record in this competition.

As for Forest Willy Boly, Nicolò Savona and Chris Wood are all dealing with knee injuries, Matz Sels has a sore groin, and John Victor is questionable due to a knock.

German Stefan Ortega has replaced Sels between the sticks, posting clean sheets in successive competitive fixture, making three stops in their draw with Wolves.

By scoring on Sunday, Murillo, Savona or Morgan Gibbs-White would join an exclusive list of Forest players who’ve scored home and away goals versus the Reds in the same Premier League campaign, with the only ones to do so being Steve Stone and Dougie Freedman.

Predicted XI

Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Konaté, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitiké

Nottingham Forest: Ortega; Aina, Milenković, Williams; Sangaré, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Lucca