Yet another clash in the Premier League will turn the table upside down. The match between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, at City Ground in the 21st round, has much to expect from either side. On one side is a Forest in probably their best form in years under Nuno Espírito Santo; on the other, Liverpool desires to solidify its lead by increasing the gap over its opponent.
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Nottingham Forest: confidence and consistency
Nottingham Forest goes into the game on the back of seven straight wins in the Premier League and FA Cup. Nuno's side currently lies third in the table with 40 points, six behind second-placed Liverpool. This purple patch is not an accident. The Portuguese boss has found an identity for Forest, mixing defensive organisation with off-the-ball intensity and ruthless counterattacks.
In the pre-match news conference, Nuno sounded pragmatic: "We tried as much as possible to ignore what's around us. Never changed, it's how we see things, how we see competition, I'd say it's how we see life. It's day by day, focus on our tasks and tomorrow will be another tough task.”
Without major absentees, other than midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré, Forest are well-equipped to face the league leaders. The previous encounter between the two teams also gives Forest reason for confidence. In the first half of the season, Forest beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield to show their place among the cream of the league.
Liverpool: leadership under pressure
Liverpool is top of the Premier League on 46 points but has lost only once this campaign to Nottingham Forest. Since that defeat, they have won 11 and drawn four times in 15 matches. Of late, things have been pretty niggly for them, though. In the last five outings, they have recorded two victories, two draws, and one loss.
Boss Arne Slot did admit the quality of Forest and just how big the tie is: "If Forest is there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea, [Manchester] City and everybody else then they certainly are a team competing with us and with the others. They deserve it if you look at the way they play and the results they get. Tomorrow will be a really tough challenge to get a result."
Despite inconsistencies, Liverpool recently showcased its dominance with a 4-0 win over Accrington in the FA Cup. However, the team will be without key players like Darwin Núñez (suspended) and Joe Gomez (still recovering from a tendon injury). Even so, Liverpool’s squad depth should provide enough options, something Slot highlighted as critical:
"It's definitely helpful for coaches worldwide to have all their players available. That's what we almost have at the moment. It's very positive because we play a lot of games."
The revenge that lingers
The last encounter between these two sides at Anfield still weighs heavily on Liverpool. A 1-0 loss at home is a rarity for the Reds, as Slot himself acknowledged.
"Before that match, I think they had two draws and a win. In general, I think when Liverpool loses a game at home, it's something we don't expect. I think at that moment, I also saw the statistic that Virgil [van Dijk] had played 100 games for Liverpool and only lost [twice at Anfield]. So, for us, losing that day was tough."
Smiling, Slot reflected on that match by saluting Forest for their adaptability: "They had a very good game plan. [They] switched out the full-backs who normally played and brought them in at the end, which made the difference."
A match full of implications
Much is at stake for both teams. A win would close the gap to three points and solidify Forest as a serious contender near the top of the table, whereas three points would provide a crucial nine-point cushion, offering breathing room in the title race.
With both teams in great form and tactically solid, this could be a mouth-watering encounter at City Ground. Will Forest keep their fine run going and pull off another upset on Liverpool, or will the Reds prove their dominance and take a commanding lead?