Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest was always going to be more than a Matchweek 2 fixture. It is Andoni Iraola’s first home game as Liverpool manager, Oliver Glasner’s second in charge of Forest, and a meeting between two clubs whose recent Anfield history runs entirely against the form book. Forest have won their last two league visits here without conceding. This guide covers the confirmed lineups, how the game unfolded, the four talking points that came out of it, and the Bangladesh kick-off details.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest at a Glance
Everything you need on the Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest fixture in one place.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | Premier League 2026-27, Matchweek 2 |
| Date | Saturday 29 August 2026 |
| Venue | Anfield, Liverpool |
| Kick-off (UK) | 12:30 BST |
| Kick-off (Bangladesh) | 5:30 PM |
| Liverpool manager | Andoni Iraola, first home league game |
| Forest manager | Oliver Glasner, second game in charge |
| Liverpool form | 2-2 draw at Newcastle on opening day |
| Forest form | Lost 1-0 to Leeds, then 2-0 to Leeds in the EFL Cup |
| Recent Anfield record | Forest have won their last two league games here |
| UK broadcaster | TNT Sports |
One number sets the scene for this Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest meeting: Forest’s last two league visits to Anfield have produced an aggregate 4-0 in their favour, including a 3-0 win in November 2025. For a club that finished fifth last season and changed manager because of it, that is an uncomfortable statistic to carry into a home opener.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Confirmed Lineups
Both managers named attacking sides, and the Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest team sheets carried a striking amount of new personnel for a second matchweek.
| Liverpool | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|
| Alisson (GK) | Sels (GK) |
| Frimpong | Aina |
| Jacquet | Cunha |
| Van Dijk | Milenkovic |
| Kerkez | Murillo |
| Szoboszlai | Williams |
| Mac Allister | Schlager |
| Munoz | Gibbs-White |
| Wirtz | McAtee |
| Gakpo | Ndoye |
| Isak | Igor Jesus |
Two selections stand out. Jeremy Jacquet started alongside Virgil van Dijk, a significant early vote of confidence in one half of Liverpool’s roughly £90 million summer outlay on Jacquet and Victor Munoz. For Forest, Xaver Schlager’s inclusion in a midfield pairing with Morgan Gibbs-White gave Glasner the ball-winner his system needs behind the front three.
How the Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Match Unfolded
Forest struck first. Dan Ndoye put the visitors ahead on 23 minutes, and the opening 45 minutes of Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest went almost entirely against the run of expectation rather than the run of play.
| First-half metric | Liverpool | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 1 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.25 | 1.29 |
| Shots | 4 | 8 |
| Big chances | 0 | 3 |
| Possession | 63% | 37% |
That table is the story of the half. Liverpool had almost two-thirds of the ball and created nothing with it, while Forest generated three clear openings from barely a third of possession and could reasonably have led by more. Florian Wirtz had a goal ruled out for offside, which was as close as the home side came to a genuine equaliser before the interval.
Editor’s note: add the confirmed full-time score and second-half summary here before publishing.
Four Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Talking Points
Iraola’s press has not settled yet
Andoni Iraola built his reputation at Bournemouth on an aggressive, high-recovery press that turns turnovers into shots within seconds. What Anfield saw in the first half was possession without penetration, which is the classic symptom of a squad that has learned where to stand but not yet when to run. That is a coaching timeline, not a talent problem, but it will be tested weekly until it clicks.
Rebuilding a forward line without Salah
Liverpool lost Mohamed Salah to Trabzonspor, Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid and Andy Robertson to Tottenham in one summer. Replacing a decade of guaranteed output on the right is not a transfer-market problem so much as a structural one, and a front line of Gakpo, Wirtz and Isak has to generate chances by combination rather than by one player manufacturing them alone.
Glasner’s system suits these players
Forest arrived at this Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest fixture on the back of two defeats to Leeds in four days, and there were reasonable questions about how quickly Oliver Glasner’s ideas would land. A back three of Cunha, Milenkovic and Murillo with wing-backs pushing on gave Ndoye and Jesus space to attack in transition, and that is precisely the shape that has troubled Liverpool at Anfield before.
The summer business on both sides
Liverpool committed around £90 million to Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz. Forest responded to their own rebuild with Ousmane Diomande for a reported £34 million, plus Xaver Schlager and Gustavo Sa. Both clubs are asking new signings to deliver immediately rather than settle, and Matchweek 2 is an early but honest read on how that is going.
Why Forest Keep Winning at Anfield
The Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest head-to-head record is not close in historical terms, and Liverpool have still taken three wins from the last five meetings overall. What has changed is the venue. Forest’s last two league trips to Anfield have both ended in wins, and neither was a smash-and-grab.
- They concede possession deliberately. Forest do not try to out-pass Liverpool at Anfield; they defend a compact block and accept 35 to 40 per cent of the ball.
- They attack the space behind the full-backs. Liverpool’s system pushes both full-backs high, and Ndoye’s pace on the counter is built exactly for that gap.
- They take their chances. Three big chances from eight shots in a half is ruthless finishing quality, not luck.
- The crowd works against the home side. An anxious Anfield rushes Liverpool’s build-up, which suits a team defending a lead.
What Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Means for the Table
Two matchweeks is far too early to draw conclusions, but early points still spend the same as late ones. Liverpool arrived with a single point from the 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Forest arrived with none, having lost their opener to Leeds United.
- A Forest win takes them to three points and leaves Liverpool on one from two home-and-away fixtures, which would be the club’s worst start in years and would put immediate pressure on a manager still in his first month.
- A draw leaves both sides with two and one points respectively, and settles very little beyond keeping Liverpool’s unbeaten record technically intact.
- A Liverpool comeback win takes them to four points, ends the Anfield bogey run, and buys Iraola the breathing room to bed in his press properly.
The scenario that matters most for the season is the first. Managers appointed after a fifth-place finish are given time, but not unlimited time, and a home defeat to a side that had lost twice that week would frame every question asked of Iraola in September.
How to Follow Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest from Bangladesh
Kick-off was 12:30 BST, which is 5:30 PM Bangladesh time, a convenient Saturday evening slot for the domestic audience. The match was shown live on TNT Sports in the United Kingdom; regional streaming arrangements vary and are usually confirmed close to kick-off, so check listings on the day rather than relying on older announcements.
For live scores, team news and post-match reaction across the season, our football section and matches hub are updated throughout. The leagues page tracks every table, the players hub covers individual form, and our Premier League top scorers page is refreshed after every matchweek. Broader viewing options are collected on the live sports in Bangladesh guide.
Official fixtures, results and confirmed lineups are published by the Premier League.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest played?
Saturday 29 August 2026 at Anfield, kicking off at 12:30 BST, which is 5:30 PM Bangladesh time. It was a Premier League 2026-27 Matchweek 2 fixture.
Who scored for Nottingham Forest?
Dan Ndoye opened the scoring on 23 minutes, putting Forest ahead against the run of possession. Liverpool had a Florian Wirtz effort ruled out for offside in the same half.
Who is Liverpool’s manager now?
Andoni Iraola, appointed after Arne Slot was dismissed following a fifth-place finish in 2025-26. This was Iraola’s first home Premier League game in charge, having previously managed Bournemouth.
Who is managing Nottingham Forest?
Oliver Glasner, whose Forest tenure began with a 1-0 league defeat to Leeds United and a 2-0 EFL Cup loss to the same opponents three days later. Anfield was his second league game in charge.
What is Forest’s recent record at Anfield?
Strong. Forest have won their last two league visits to Anfield by an aggregate 4-0, including a 3-0 win in November 2025, even though Liverpool have taken three wins from the last five meetings between the clubs overall.
Which players did Liverpool lose and sign this summer?
Mohamed Salah joined Trabzonspor, Ibrahima Konate moved to Real Madrid and Andy Robertson signed for Tottenham. Liverpool spent a reported £90 million combined on Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz.
Lineups, scoring and match details are accurate as of the first half on 29 August 2026. Final scores, substitutions and broadcast arrangements can change, so confirm against official listings.
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