By Liverpool will look to maintain their flawless start to the Premier League season when they host Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, with both teams putting unbeaten records on the line.
The match, scheduled for a 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET) kickoff, sees Arne Slot’s Liverpool side, sitting second in the table, face Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest, who occupy ninth place after an encouraging start to their campaign.
Liverpool enter the fixture buoyed by a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester United before the international break. Mohamed Salah starred in that match, providing two assists and scoring once, though his post-match comments about his future at the club have sparked speculation.
Slot, in his debut Premier League season, has achieved a feat that eluded his predecessor Jurgen Klopp in all but one of his eight full seasons — winning the opening three league games. The Dutch manager is on the verge of setting a Premier League record, as no manager has kept clean sheets in their first four matches in charge since the league’s inception in 1992.
“We’re pleased with our start, but we know there’s a long way to go,” Slot told reporters in his pre-match press conference. “Forest will present a tough challenge, and we must maintain our focus.”
Nottingham Forest, under Santo’s guidance, have also made a solid start to the season with one win and two draws. Their last outing saw them share points in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where Chris Wood’s early header was canceled out by a Jean-Ricner Bellegarde equalizer.
Forest are enjoying their best run under Santo, unbeaten in four straight Premier League matches dating back to last season. They’ve also won their last three away games, a streak they haven’t achieved since 1995.
Liverpool may hand a debut to new signing Federico Chiesa, who was held back from the Manchester United match to build fitness. There’s also optimism surrounding the availability of Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister, both recovering from minor issues.
However, the Reds have suffered a blow with Harvey Elliott reportedly sidelined for up to eight weeks with a broken foot.
Forest could give debuts to James Ward-Prowse and Morato, though the latter is less likely to start. The visitors will be without Danilo and Willy Boly due to injuries.
“We respect Liverpool, but we come here with belief in our abilities,” Santo stated. “Our unbeaten run gives us confidence, and we aim to continue that at Anfield.”
The historical record favors Liverpool, who have won their last three Premier League encounters with Forest and haven’t lost to them at Anfield since 1969.
As both teams aim to preserve their unbeaten starts, the match promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between two managers implementing their philosophies at their new clubs.
Predicted lineups:
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota, Diaz
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina; Ward-Prowse, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
The match will be officiated by Paul Tierney, with Stuart Attwell overseeing VAR duties.
