Liverpool Host Nottingham Forest at Anfield: The Race for a First Win

Both Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are desperate to secure their first win of the season when they meet at Anfield on Saturday, August 29, at 12:30 (local time), 11:30 GMT.

Liverpool struggled in their first competitive match under new head coach Andoni Iraola, needing a comeback to salvage a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have lost both of their opening matches under head coach Oliver Glasner — a 0-1 defeat in the Premier League opener and a 0-2 loss in the League Cup, both at home against Leeds United.

Iraola Hopes for 'Good News' in the Transfer Market

Liverpool’s new boss said on Thursday that it is no secret the club is looking to add wingers, following reports that the Anfield side is close to a deal to sign French forward Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool are also reportedly interested in Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr to fill the void left by Mohamed Salah after his departure.

“We can’t talk about players who don’t belong to us, but it’s clear we are trying to improve or fill that position because we don’t have enough numbers,” Iraola said in his pre-match press conference ahead of his home debut against Nottingham Forest.

Barcola's arrival could lead to Cody Gakpo leaving Anfield. The Dutch forward, who scored in Iraola’s first match, is reportedly a target for Manchester City and Tottenham. “As long as the transfer window is open, you can’t guarantee anything to anyone. You never know who will come in,” Iraola added about Gakpo’s future.

Glasner Feeling the Pressure

The Austrian coach expressed frustration with the recruitment situation at his new club after a second defeat to Leeds, saying Forest have been “ignoring reality.”

“The reality is that this team went through a nine-month relegation battle. A very chaotic season that ended with a huge effort to stay in the league, and that is our starting point,” Glasner said. “The really important thing is not to blame anyone because sometimes I tell them the truth and they say, ‘Oh, Glasner is moaning.’ No, no, no. But our best midfielder (Elliot Anderson) leaves the club and now we are expected to compete for European spots because Oliver Glasner is here. Sorry, I can’t do that in six weeks. I’m not a magician, not the Messiah, just hard work.”

Glasner may be pleased that Forest broke their club transfer record on Thursday to sign young striker Liam Delap from Chelsea for a reported fee of £45 million ($61 million).

Prediction and Head-to-Head

According to the Opta supercomputer, Liverpool are favored with a 61.1% win probability. Forest have just an 18.2% chance of winning, while the likelihood of a draw is 20.7%.

The two sides have met 124 times in history; Liverpool have won 61, Forest 33, with 30 draws.

In their most recent meeting in February 2026, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister scored a decisive goal in the final minute of stoppage time to secure a 1-0 win at Forest. After a dull 90 minutes, Mac Allister’s stoppage-time effort was initially disallowed for handball before he converted in the 97th minute.

Team News

Liverpool are without several long-term absentees, including forward Hugo Ekitike (recovering from an Achilles injury), right-back Conor Bradley, and centre-back Giovanni Leoni (knee issues). Defender Joe Gomez is also sidelined with a muscle injury.

Alexander Isak is likely to continue leading the line, with Florian Wirtz playing just behind him in the number 10 role. Cody Gakpo is expected to start on the left wing despite interest from other clubs. Victor Munoz impressed as a substitute in the Newcastle match and could start on the right flank in place of Rio Ngumoha.

For Nottingham Forest, defender Nicolo Savona is ruled out after a recurrence of a knee injury, while midfielder Ryan Yates is also unavailable. Full-back Neco Williams and playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White are both doubts due to injuries, but the visitors hope both key players will recover in time.