Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool - prediction, team news, lineups

Both buoyed by 3-0 victories in their most recent clashes, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool reconvene at the City Ground for Sunday's Premier League showdown.

The Tricky Trees kicked off the Vitor Pereira era with a convincing victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League, a few days after the Reds' dominant FA Cup success over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Match preview

As much as Arsenal are making life difficult for themselves at the top of the Premier League table, retaining the title is surely a bridge too far for Liverpool, but two avenues to silverware remain for Arne Slot's rejuvenated crop.

Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah were all on target as the Reds ran riot against Brighton in the FA Cup - where they will face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fifth round - and the Champions League will soon come back into view for the visitors too.

Knockout successes have left Liverpool with a pleasing record of four wins from their last five in all competitions, but the Premier League picture is not so rosy for the Reds, who have only prevailed in two of their last six in the top tier.

However, those triumphs have come across Liverpool's last three games - against Newcastle United and Sunderland - to keep the sixth-placed champions within touching distance of Manchester United in fourth spot.

The aforementioned success at Sunderland made the Reds the first team to beat the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light in the 2025-26 Premier League season, but not since September have Slot's outfit won back-to-back top-flight games away from Anfield.

The new manager bounce was well and truly alive for Liverpool all throughout 2024-25, and not for the first time this season, the famed effect was also evident when Forest took to Fenerbahce's field for Europa League action.

In their first game since the controversial departure of Sean Dyche, Pereira - who contributed to what could be the worst-ever Premier League season from Wolverhampton Wanderers - oversaw a tremendous 3-0 win over the Turkish giants thanks to Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White's strikes.

Ending a three-match winless run in sensational style, Forest's statement success was not entirely unexpected - across Pereira's last 15 managerial jobs, he has avoided defeat in his first match in all of them, claiming a striking 11 wins.

The Portuguese now aims to drag Wolves away from the Premier League danger zone, as the 17th-placed Garibaldi come into the weekend just three points clear of West Ham United, but with form somewhat on their side.

Only one of the hosts' last six Premier League contests has ended in defeat, while each of their last three at the City Ground have been drawn, but goals in front of their own fans remain hard to come by.

Indeed, Forest have only found the back of the net once in each of their last four top-flight matches at the City Ground, although their 3-0 demolition of Liverpool in November made it three games unbeaten against the English champions.

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

Liverpool Premier League form:

Liverpool form (all competitions):

Team News

It will be as you were in terms of Liverpool's fitness situation, as Slot confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Jeremie Frimpong's hamstring problem will keep him out, but the Dutchman is targeting a return for West Ham United on February 28.

Wataru Endo (ankle), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee) and Alexander Isak (leg) are also sidelined for the champions, although Slot was also able to provide a fresh timeframe on the latter's recovery.

Jones at right-back proved to be an effective formula against Brighton, but with Ryan Gravenberch expected to return to the XI, Szoboszlai could function in that auxiliary defensive role instead.

Meanwhile, Forest came out of their victory over Fenerbahce unscathed on the physical front, but at the same time, no injured victims are expected to return for the visit of the champions.

Willy Boly, Chris Wood, John Victor and Nicolo Savona are all nursing knee problems, while Matz Sels is still struggling with a groin issue, so Stefan Ortega will be retained in between the posts.

Scorers at Anfield and on Thursday night, Murillo and Gibbs-White could become the first Forest player(s) to net home and away against Liverpool in a Premier League season since the turn of the millennium.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike

We say: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Liverpool

As spectacular as Pereira's Forest debut was, the Tricky Trees will be carrying fatigue and jet lag from their successful Turkey trip, whereas a goal-happy Liverpool have had a full week to recuperate.

Each of Forest's last six head coaches to manage a Premier League game have lost their first such match, and Pereira is expected to become number seven in that list this weekend.

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