Premier League: Liverpool Seek Momentum Shift Against Nottingham Forest

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest

Liverpool have been a shadow of themselves this season, so they badly needed the November international break to go back to the drawing board. Up next for the Reds is a home game on Saturday against Nottingham Forest, their bogey team last season.

Arne Slot’s men are coming off a humiliating 3-0 defeat against Manchester City, which was their fifth loss in their last six Premier League games. As a result, Liverpool dropped to eighth in the English top-flight standings with 18 points, level with fifth-seeded Tottenham, sixth-seeded Aston Villa, seventh-seeded Manchester United, and ninth-seeded Bournemouth.

Nottingham Forest have gained some momentum under Sean Dyche, who replaced Ange Postecoglou last month. Under Dyche, the Tricky Trees have lost only one of their last five across all competitions, including a 3-1 victory against Leeds United last time out.

Check out today’s SBOTOP match preview by continuing to read below.

 

Talking Points

Liverpool receive massive injury boost

Liverpool have faltered in their title defence thus far because they’ve been a shadow of themselves on the defensive end. Since losing Alisson Becker to a hamstring injury against Galatasaray on September 30, the Reds have conceded 10 goals in their last five top-flight matches, and they also bowed out of the EFL Cup fourth round against Crystal Palace (3-0).

The international break couldn’t have come at a better time for Liverpool, as it gave them time to recharge, and their absentee list has eased ahead of the Nottingham Forest game. 

As of this writing, Alisson Becker is expected to reclaim his spot between the sticks against the Tricky Trees, relegating Giorgi Mamardashvili to the bench. Meanwhile, wing-back Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring) has made considerable progress in his rehab and is expected to return against Sunderland next month. 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni is the only long-term absentee due to a torn ACL.

The Reds also need Hugo Ekitike to kick on in the next few matches. After a fast start in the English top-flight, the Frenchman has gone five matches without scoring and was barely involved against Manchester City last time out. However, he was in full flow last weekend, as he scored a goal against Ukraine in Les Bleus’ 4-0 rout.

 

Nottingham Forest duo is picking up steam

Nottingham Forest have shown signs of life before the international break after holding Manchester United to a 2-2 draw and beating Leeds United 3-1. During that stretch, Morgan Gibbs-White recorded two league goals and one assist, while Elliot Anderson had one goal.

After a slow start to the season, Gibbs-White is back to being the Tricky Trees’ talisman. On the other hand, Anderson is rapidly developing into one of the best midfielders in England with his all-around play, so much so that rival teams have floated the idea of poaching him next year.

Furthermore, expect Nottingham Forest to play on the back foot against Liverpool, as they’ve conceded the first goal in eight of their previous 10 matches. Centre-backs Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic will have their hands full on Saturday.

 

History

Liverpool managed to win the Premier League last term, but they were unable to beat Nottingham Forest in their past two meetings. Under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo, the Tricky Trees won 1-0 at Anfield in a classic smash-and-grab, courtesy of Callum Hudson-Odoi. They also shared the spoils with the Reds in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, as Chris Wood and Diogo Jota, whose No. 20 jersey was posthumously retired by the team, found the back of the net.

Since then, Nottingham Forest have had three different managers. After firing Nuno Espirito Santo at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Ange Postecoglou lasted only 39 days in charge. He was replaced by Sean Dyche last October after a poor run of results.

 

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2025 odds predict Liverpool to end their mini-drought against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Liverpool are 1.39 favourites to win, whereas Nottingham Forest are 6.30 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.49 in the 1X2 market. 

Both teams are capable of producing Premier League 2025 highlights, but the hosts have more firepower on paper than the visitors. Besides our recommended bet, bettors may also consider adding Over 2.75 at 1.70 and Total Goal 2-3 at 2.14 to the parlay. However, if you fancy Nottingham Forest’s chances, check out the Correct Score of 1-0 in their favour – the result of this fixture last season – since it is on offer at a mouthwatering 21.00 your bet.

   

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