Can Liverpool stop Nottingham Forest from making it three wins in a row at Anfield?

[p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Forest[/a] owner Evangelos Marinakis, known to not be the most patient of people, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/glasner-oliver/CznGurCt/"]Glasner[/a] needs to get a win on the board quickly, and where better to do that than at Anfield in what will be [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iraola-andoni/xpALVpwq/"]Andoni Iraola[/a]'s first home game in charge of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Reds[/a].[/p][infobox id="c5ce5f5a-ccb6-468f-9fce-bb4a330c372a" /][h2]Szoboszlai's importance to Liverpool isn't in doubt[/h2][p]The Basque saw his side get out of jail at St. James' Park in their season opener, with an injury-time penalty confidently despatched by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/szoboszlai-dominik/dERKtqoo/"]Dominik Szoboszlai[/a] giving them a share of the spoils against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a].[/p][p]It won't be lost on anyone just how important the Hungarian has been for the club of late, and indeed, his 11 goal contributions (5G, 6A) in his last 16 Premier League matches have only been bettered by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a] (16), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gibbs-white-morgan/beZNT1bB/"]Morgan Gibbs-White[/a] (13), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bowen-jarrod/pW170H9K/"]Jarrod Bowen[/a] (13) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-pedro/CAmJERl2/"]Joao Pedro[/a] (12).[/p][embed guid="3af37dcd-70d9-4a19-9f66-a40ff1c6d47c" url="https://x.com/LFC/status/2091631572029943970" social-type="twitter" /][p]The hosts will be wary that Forest have beaten them on Merseyside on their last two visits, which is more than the visitors had in their previous 30 (W1, D5, L24), though Liverpool have never lost three games in a row at Anfield to the Tricky Trees.[/p][p]Morgan Gibbs-White has also scored the most goals overall in 2026 (12), and has scored (twice) or assisted (once) three of Forest's last six goals scored at Anfield.[/p][h2]Liverpool haven't lost a home season opener since 2003/04[/h2][p]The last club to manage that feat was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a], with the Eagles heading back to South London after wins in 2015, 2016 and 2017.[/p][p]No side has actually beaten Liverpool more times than Forest since the latter's return to the English top-flight in 2022, and the Tricky Trees have scored in each of their last 10 away games, with 15 goals being scored in the last five of those.[/p][image alt="Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Recent head-to-head results" id="28f170d0-bb83-4248-8804-485a04554c2f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5b292696-d7e2-47e7-81c5-66c4c1b40eba" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]Given that Liverpool haven't won any of their last five Premier League games, last having a longer such run back in 2012, Iraola and Co. can't afford to take this game lightly.[/p][p]That said, the Reds haven't lost a season opener at Anfield since 2003/04, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] triumphed 2-1. Since then, they've won 17 and drawn five of their first games of a campaign at the famous old ground, which has included 12 wins out of the last 13. [/p][h2]Forest haven't won their opening away game for eight years[/h2][p]Furthermore, Forest have only won one of their first away games of a season in the last eight years (D3, L4).[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gakpo-cody/pWyuBud0/"]Cody Gakpo[/a], who could still leave Liverpool before the end of the transfer window, put on a master class against Newcastle on the opening weekend of the 2026/27 campaign.[/p][image alt="Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - Live win probability" id="af556535-4d85-4a78-81b2-e96e9d95c3ec" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="87a02904-e86a-4851-93f6-96d1069eda4e" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]The Dutchman's six shots and three chances created were more than anyone else in the league, with Gakpo only exceeding that output (eight shots/two chances created) in a 2024 fixture against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham United[/a].[/p][p]Whether Iraola decides to allow him to play any part, or prefers to keep him in reserve so as not to scupper any potential move, will only be known once team news is released on Saturday morning.[/p][h2]Gibbs-White is doubtful for Anfield trip[/h2][p]Those players that he won't be able to call upon are [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bradley-conor/GM6fgd0p/"]Conor Bradley[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ekitike-hugo/ltVXPlJU/"]Hugo Ekitike[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomez-joe/SKt9dxk8/"]Joe Gomez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leoni-giovanni/GdON0JjJ/"]Giovanni Leoni[/a].[/p][p]For Forest, Glasner will be without the services of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/savona-nicolo/juQzl8Zj/"]Nicolo Savona[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yates-ryan/IwFLkXYE/"]Ryan Yates[/a], whilst Gibbs-White and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-neco/YVxu86Hs/"]Neco Williams[/a] are only rated as 50/50, and both will undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability.[/p][embed guid="690eeef0-d2bf-4ba4-97bf-0b8f0b58c4ef" url="https://x.com/NFFC/status/2092918796147425318" social-type="twitter" /][p]Though a loss at this point won't be disastrous for either side, it would leave them already playing catch-up, and in Liverpool's case, certainly that's not the best place to be in.[/p][p]After what was a hugely disappointing 2025/26 for the Merseysiders, Iraola has to ensure his squad hit the ground running and remain near the top of the table.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liverpool-lId4TMwf/nottingham-UsushcZr/?mid=CYJLO78D"]Follow Liverpool v Nottingham Forest with Flashscore![/a][/b][/p][h2]Forest need the three points[/h2][p]The expected addition of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barcola-bradley/lhGD3RgS/"]Bradley Barcola[/a] could go some way to helping them achieve that, though this game is likely to come too quickly for the player to make his debut.[/p][p]If Forest are sent packing, their next few games before the international break could prove problematic for Glasner.[/p][embed guid="154b1d19-9387-4a5f-a147-0c62854f1d66" url="https://x.com/NFFC/status/2092380499347902780" social-type="twitter" /][p]A resurgent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a] are next to arrive at the City Ground, followed by two Midlands derbies against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/coventry/GOvB22xg/"]Coventry City[/a].[/p][p]There need to be a few points on the board by then, or Marinakis could be searching for yet another manager by October.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]