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Liverpool v Nottingham Forest – The Premier League Preview

With the most recent midweek Europa Group game comfortably navigated (5-1 win over Toulouse), the next Premier League outing now quickly follows. Luckily for our esteemed German manager, the Thursday night European schedule (of this campaign) stops TNT Sports from placing the reds into that dreaded 12.30 slot this weekend. Instead, game ten of the 2023/24 season sees a more favourable Sunday afternoon kick off in which Liverpool welcome visiting Nottingham Forest.

The Forest Availability

In terms of availability, the away side will be without Danilo dos Santos de Oliveira or Felipe de Almeida Monteiro, whereas a doubt remains over the fitness of Nuno Varela Tavares, Olaoluwa Aina, Serge Aurier, and former red, Taiwo Awoniyi. Steve Cooper has seen his side draw their last three games, with a home 2-2 with Luton, following an away 0-0 with Crystal Palace. This pair came after a 1-1 home draw against a Brentford team still lacking Ivan Toney. The big spending and ever-changing side currently sit 15th in the Premier League, with ten points taken from their nine games played.

A predicted line up for the visitors is listed below.

 

GK – Matt Turner

RB – Neco Williams

LB – Harry Toffolo

RCB – Willy Boly

LCB – Murillo

RCM – Nicolás Domínguez

CDM – Cheikhou Kouyaté

LCM – Ibrahim Sangaré

RW – Morgan Gibbs-White

CF – Chris Wood

LW – Anthony Elanga

 

In a 4-3-3 system, the ever-evolving landscape of Steve Coopers starting eleven, is evident in their inconsistent form this year. The focal point of his attack will once more be Chris Wood, who will be the target man and lone striker required to hold up the ball and bring others into play.

The Liverpool Availability

The 4th placed reds host the incoming Forest, after a strong midweek win and solid Merseyside derby victory (the weekend prior), which saw the reds overcome struggling Everton by a 2-0 margin. A 2-2 draw away to Brighton and that infamous 2-1 loss at White Hart Lane (in the two games prior) did not scupper Jürgen Klopp and his ambition for silverware this year.

In terms of those available, the Spanish pair of Thiago Alcântara and Stefan Bajčetić remain sidelined, whilst Andy Robertson begins his long road back to fitness, after a successful shoulder operation in the week. Curtis Jones will spend this weekend exhausting the final match of his three-match suspension, before becoming available thereafter. The 5-1 drubbing of Toulouse adds a vital competitive edge to this weekend’s selection, with my predicted line up listed below.

GK – Alisson Becker

RB – Trent Alexander Arnold

RCB – Ibrahima Konaté

LCB – Virgil van Dijk

LB – Kostas Tsimikas

RCM – Dominik Szoboszlai

CDM – Alexis Mac Allister

LCM – Ryan Gravenberch

RF – Mohamed Salah

CF – Darwin Núñez

LF – Luis Díaz

Though many supporters are still hoping for a defensive midfielder to be signed in January, this period sees the reds embracing an ultra-attacking line up that is now starting to look the offensive part. Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Núñez shone on Thursday evening, therefore I cannot wait to see them and the other forward-thinking players attempt to overwhelm Nottingham Forest, this Sunday at Anfield.

How Will This Contest Play Out

The 2pm contest could end in a heavy defeat for the traveling side, as they meet a Liverpool group full of both confidence and form. Liverpool lost 1-0 at the City Ground last season, therefore will want to double down on the home 3-2 win they recorded later in that 2022/23 campaign. Forest struggled against Luton last week, despite the vast difference in depth of each competing club. Liverpool is in the ascendancy and will have such a plethora of firepower, I cannot see anything other than a comprehensive home win.

Player to watch – Ryan Gravenberch

Score Prediction;

Liverpool 4 – 1 Nottingham Forest

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