Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool: Premier League Clash Preview

Prelude to Premier League Glory

After the victorious EFL Cup final and winning the FA Cup 5th round tie, the Reds resume their assault of Premier League glory as they hope to maintain their place at the summit of English football’s top division. Nottingham Forest is embroiled in a battle to stay in the world’s leading football league, whilst waiting to see how many points they will be deducted for breaking profit and sustainability rules. The need for points in this Saturday afternoon’s game could not be more contrasting (for the two teams competing), which makes for an intriguing weekend battle at the City Ground.

NEW: Forest manager wants the “best version” of Divock Origi for Liverpool reunionhttps://t.co/upMGwdvF16

— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) March 1, 2024

Nottingham Forest’s Lineup and Form

In terms of availability, Olaoluwa Aina, Nuno Varela Tavares, and Chris Wood are all confirmed as injured for this home fixture. Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly face late fitness tests and may make the bench for new manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, who will be hoping to pick up valuable points.

Recent Performance Analysis

Regarding recent form, Forest saw their own FA Cup run come to an end in the week, after losing 0-1 to visiting Manchester United. The victors of that 5th round tie will now meet Liverpool in the quarter-finals, a tie to be played at Old Trafford in a couple of weeks. Before that defeat, a 4-2 loss was recorded at Aston Villa after a positive 2-0 home win against the inconsistent West Ham. A 2-3 loss to Newcastle preceded that match which makes the recent results of the relegation battlers somewhat sporadic. After 26 games played, Forest have just 24 points and currently sit 17th in the table.

A predicted lineup for the visitors is listed below, in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The need to be diligent and compact will be undertaken by the former Wolves manager, as the desire for more solidity is needed now more than ever.

GK – Matt Turner
RB – Neco Williams
RCB – Moussa Niakhaté
LCB – Murillo
LB – Harry Toffolo
CDM – Danilo
CDM – Cheikhou Kouyaté
ACM – Morgan Gibbs-White
RW – Giovanni Reyna
CF – Taiwo Awoniyi
LW – Anthony Elanga

Opposition Analysis: Liverpool Face Tricky Nottingham Forest Testhttps://t.co/rlqcoXRJC8 pic.twitter.com/dVaQGJ681z

— AnfieldIndex (@AnfieldIndex) March 1, 2024

Liverpool’s Squad and Recent Victories

Injury Updates and Availability

In terms of injuries, the Spanish pair of Thiago Alcântara and Stefan Bajčetić remain unavailable, however, the younger of the two midfielders is closing in on a possible return to full training. Joël Matip has sustained a season-ending ACL injury, one that may have seen him play his last game for the club. Trent Alexander Arnold, Mo Salah, Alisson Becker, and Curtis Jones are out for a few more weeks, whereas Diogo Jota is sidelined for a little longer after a knee injury two weeks ago. Ryan Gravenberch is sidelined with an ankle injury, though Dominik Szoboszlai, and Darwin Núñez, are expected to overcome recent injuries and make the match-day squad.

Form Leading to the Clash

Regarding recent form, the Reds were triumphant in both domestic cups last week, as Southampton were well beaten 3-0 (at Anfield) after winning against Chelsea (1-0 aet) to claim the EFL Cup on Sunday. That triumphant double came after a 4-1 thumping of Luton at Anfield in the days before the cup final. That decisive win was a repeat of the score line prior, as Jürgen Klopp’s men recorded a 1-4 win at Brentford. After 26 games played, Jürgen Klopp’s side have amassed a superb 60-point total and sit top of the Premier League

Predicted Lineups and Tactical Insights

Below is the team I believe the Reds German manager will start on Saturday, which will see a return of Darwin Núñez to the first team.

GK – Caoimhin Kelleher
RB – Conor Bradley
RCB – Ibrahima Konaté
LCB – Virgil van Dijk (c)
LB – Andy Robertson
RCM – Bobby Clark
CDM – Wataru Endō
LCM – Alexis Mac Allister
RF – Luis Díaz
CF – Darwin Núñez
LF – Cody Gakpo

Match Dynamics and Key Players

The jubilant week of cup football will hopefully add fire and intensity to the Liverpool squad, despite the ongoing injuries that have engulfed their ranks. The uncertainty in the home side’s form should enable the travelling Reds to create enough chances to win this game, one that may see more opportunities for those being introduced from the bench. The latter part of this season is undoubtedly going to need the various academy graduates to continue with their contributions, with Jayden Danns and Bobby Clark likely to feature in this encounter. For the hosts, Divock Origi will likely be involved at some point which should see the former Anfield favourite receive a warm reception from both sets of fans.

Player to watch – Caoimhin Kelleher

Score Prediction;
Nottingham Forest 1 – 2 Liverpool

Steven Smith