Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: Preview, Prediction & Lineups

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Introduction

Anfield prepares for a Saturday clash with massive implications at both ends of the table. Liverpool, currently chasing leaders Manchester City, are desperate to bounce back after a stinging 3-0 defeat to the champions last week. Arne Slot’s side has been imperious at home, but recent away wobbles have halted their momentum.

They face a Nottingham Forest side that has become the Premier League’s “Chaos Merchants” under Nuno Espírito Santo. Fresh off a 3-1 win over Leeds, Forest have climbed away from the danger zone but arrive at Anfield decimated by injuries to key stars like Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Can Liverpool’s high line exploit a weakened Forest attack, or will Nuno’s low block frustrate the Reds again?

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Quick Match Info

Fixture: Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
Competition: Premier League (Matchweek 12)
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Date: Saturday, 22 November 2025
Kickoff Time: 15:00 GMT / 16:00 CET / 20:30 IST
Referee: Andrew Madley
VAR: David Coote (Expected)
TV Channel (UK): Not televised live in UK due to 3pm blackout
TV Channel (USA): Peacock Premium
TV Channel (India): Star Sports Select 1, Disney+ Hotstar
Live Stream: Peacock (USA), JioStar (India)

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Match Context (2025/26 Season)

Liverpool:

Position: 3rd in the Premier League.
Form: Inconsistent (L-W-W-L-L). The 3-0 loss to Man City was a reality check, but they beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the UCL just days prior.
Current Challenge: Breaking down a low block without getting hit on the counter—something that has plagued them in recent weeks against Brentford and Palace.

Nottingham Forest:

Position: 11th in the Premier League.
Form: Resilient (W-D-D-L-W). Unbeaten in their last 3 games across all competitions.
Current Challenge: Surviving an injury crisis. With 6 key starters out, including their top scorer and primary playmaker, this is a test of squad depth.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — What’s at Stake

For Liverpool:

Title Race Survival: Falling further behind Man City and Arsenal is not an option. 3 points are mandatory to stay in the hunt.
Anfield Fortress: Restoring fear factor at home after the shock EFL Cup loss to Crystal Palace.

For Nottingham Forest:

Top Half Ambitions: A result here would cement their status as legitimate top-10 contenders.
Survival: Every point at a “Big 6” ground is a bonus in the fight to stay well clear of relegation.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Team Form

Liverpool (Last 5 Matches):

L vs Manchester City (0-3)
W vs Real Madrid (1-0)
W vs Aston Villa (2-0)
L vs Crystal Palace (0-3)
L vs Brentford (2-3)

Nottingham Forest (Last 5 Matches):

W vs Leeds (3-1)
D vs Sturm Graz (0-0)
D vs Manchester Utd (2-2)
L vs Bournemouth (0-2)
W vs FC Porto (2-0)

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Team News

Liverpool:

Jeremie Frimpong: Out (Hamstring Injury – Big miss for attacking width)
Stefan Bajcetic: Out (Hamstring Injury)
Luke Chambers: Out (Back Injury)
Giovanni Leoni: Out (Knee Injury)
Calum Scanlon: Out (Hamstring Injury)
Alisson Becker: Available (Returned against Man City)
Diogo Jota: Doubtful (Training knock)

Nottingham Forest:

Chris Wood: Out (Knee Injury – Massive loss, their target man)
Callum Hudson-Odoi: Out (Leg Injury – Loss of pace)
Ola Aina: Out (Hamstring Injury)
Oleksandr Zinchenko: Out (Groin Injury – Left-back crisis)
Douglas Luiz: Out (Hamstring Injury – Midfield controller out)
Angus Gunn: Out (Knee Injury)
Taiwo Awoniyi: Available (Must start)

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Head to Head

15 Jan 2025: Nottingham 1–1 Liverpool
14 Sep 2024: Liverpool 0–1 Nottingham (The shock Anfield win)
02 Mar 2024: Nottingham 0–1 Liverpool
29 Oct 2023: Liverpool 3–0 Nottingham
22 Apr 2023: Liverpool 3–2 Nottingham

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Predicted Lineups

Liverpool (4-2-3-1):

With Frimpong out, Conor Bradley steps in. Slot likely returns to his strongest XI after rotation against City.

GK: Alisson Becker
RB: Conor Bradley
CB: Ibrahima Konaté
CB: Virgil van Dijk
LB: Andrew Robertson
CDM: Ryan Gravenberch
CDM: Alexis Mac Allister
RW: Mohamed Salah
CAM: Dominik Szoboszlai
LW: Luis Díaz
ST: Darwin Núñez

Nottingham Forest (5-4-1):

Nuno will likely switch to a back 5 to cover for the loss of full-backs Aina and Zinchenko.

GK: Matz Sels
RWB: Neco Williams
CB: Nikola Milenković
CB: Murillo
CB: Morato (Added for extra height)
LWB: Harry Toffolo (Deputizing for Zinchenko)
RM: Anthony Elanga
CM: Ibrahim Sangaré
CM: Elliot Anderson (Replacing Douglas Luiz)
LM: Nicolás Domínguez (Defensive winger role)
ST: Taiwo Awoniyi

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Tactical Outlook

Liverpool:

Playing Style: “Controlled Chaos.” Slot will instruct Bradley and Robertson to overlap constantly to stretch Forest’s back five. Expect Gravenberch to drive through the middle to break lines, as Forest will pack the penalty box.
Weakness: Rest Defense. With Forest’s speed (Elanga), Liverpool’s high line is vulnerable if the counter-press fails.

Nottingham Forest:

Playing Style: Low Block & Long Ball. Without Chris Wood to hold the ball up, they will rely on Awoniyi chasing channels and Elanga’s raw speed. Nuno will look to congest the center and force Liverpool to cross, where Milenković and Murillo are strong.
Strength: Set Pieces. Even without Wood, they are dangerous from corners with their tall center-backs.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Key Battles

Matchup	Battle Type	Edge
Virgil van Dijk vs. Taiwo Awoniyi	Strength vs. Strength: Awoniyi is one of the few strikers who can physically match VVD. If he pins Virgil, Forest can get out.	Liverpool
Conor Bradley vs. Anthony Elanga	The Foot Race: With Frimpong out, Bradley must be careful not to get caught upfield. Elanga is faster and will target this space.	Forest
Ryan Gravenberch vs. Elliot Anderson	Midfield Control: Anderson has big shoes to fill (Douglas Luiz). If Gravenberch spins him, Liverpool dominates.	Liverpool

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Spotlight Players

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool):

The Egyptian King loves playing at Anfield. With Forest missing their first-choice left-backs (Zinchenko/Aina), Salah will be up against a backup (Toffolo) or a makeshift defender. Expect him to cut inside and shoot on sight.

Murillo (Nottingham Forest):

The Brazilian center-back has been a revelation. He will need the game of his life to stop Nunez and Salah. His ability to play long diagonal passes to Elanga will be Forest’s best attacking weapon.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Statistical Snapshot

Metric	Liverpool	Nottingham Forest
League Position	8th	19th
Last 5 Matches	2W, 3L	2W, 2D, 1L
Goals Scored (Season)	24	16
Clean Sheets	4	3
Home/Away Form	Strong Home	Resilient Away

Explanation: Liverpool scores heavily but concedes cheaply. Forest struggles for goals (especially without Wood) but is becoming hard to beat.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Fan Reactions

Liverpool Fans:

“We simply cannot lose to Forest at home again. That 1-0 last year still haunts me.”

“No Frimpong is a blow, but Bradley is more than capable. We need Nunez to finish his chances today.”

Nottingham Forest Fans:

“No Wood, no CHO, no Aina… we are down to the bare bones. A draw would be a miracle.”

“In Nuno we trust. Park the bus, hit them on the break with Elanga. 1-0 masterclass incoming.”

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Where to Watch

UK: Not Televised (3pm Blackout) – Highlights on Match of the Day (BBC).
India: Star Sports Select 1, JioStar App.
USA: Peacock Premium.
Australia: Optus Sport.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Match-Defining Factors

Forest’s Injury Crisis: Missing their spine (Wood, Luiz, Aina) forces them to play a containment game. They simply don’t have the personnel to go toe-to-toe.
The First 20 Minutes: If Liverpool scores early, the floodgates could open. If Forest survives the first wave, the Anfield crowd might get anxious (remembering the Palace game).
Set-Pieces: Liverpool has conceded from corners recently. Forest will play for dead-ball situations.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Prediction

Score Prediction: Liverpool 2–0 Nottingham Forest

Betting Insights:

Outcome: Liverpool Win & Under 3.5 Goals (Forest will defend deep).
Clean Sheet: Liverpool YES (Forest missing their main goal threats).
Card Market: Over 4.5 Cards (Forest will commit tactical fouls to stop transitions).

Analysis: Nottingham Forest’s injury list is simply too long to expect a result at Anfield. Without Chris Wood as an outlet and Douglas Luiz to control the tempo, they will eventually buckle under Liverpool’s pressure. Salah and Diaz to provide the goals.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Final Word

This is a classic “Attack vs Defense” scenario. Liverpool cannot afford another slip-up at Anfield if they want to stay in the title race. Nottingham Forest arrives wounded but dangerous, with a blueprint on how to frustrate the Reds. However, with so many key absentees for the visitors, anything other than a routine home win would be a disaster for Arne Slot.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — FAQs

When is Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest?

A:- Saturday, 22 November 2025, at 15:00 GMT (20:30 IST).

Is Jeremie Frimpong playing?

A:- No, Jeremie Frimpong is ruled out with a hamstring injury. Conor Bradley is expected to replace him at right-back.

Why is Chris Wood not playing?

A:- Forest’s top scorer is out with a knee injury, leaving Taiwo Awoniyi to lead the line.

Where can I watch in India?

A:- The match is live on Star Sports Select 1 and streaming on JioStar.

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

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