Prediction: Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

Verdict: Mohamed Salah to score

Best odds: 10/11

Bookmaker: Unibet

Nottingham Forest are set to welcome Liverpool to the City Ground on Saturday afternoon for a clash between two former European champions. The game will be a part of the 12th round in the 2022/23 Premier League season, though Liverpool still have a game in hand on most of the league.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest had an excellent 2021/22 season in the Championship and thus earned their place in the English top flight this term. Still, the number of signings they made this summer was stunning – 23 new players, practically an entire squad.

It was clear from the start that so many new faces will take time to gel properly and form a compact unit, capable of battling it out against the rest of arguably the toughest league in the world. Therefore, their poor start to the season wasn’t too much of a surprise for anyone, including the club hierarchy who have recently backed manager Steve Cooper with a new contract, shutting down numerous reports that his job was in danger.

Be that as it may, Forest are currently at the bottom of the table with six points, having won only once. Their survival in the Premier League at the moment seems impossible, though there is, of course, a long way to go yet.

It’s also not surprising that Forest’s last-six run consists of four defeats and two draws. It started with a 2-3 home loss to Bournemouth, followed by another one by the same scoreline against Fulham. Then came a 4-0 thrashing suffered away to relegation rivals Leicester City, a 1-1 draw at home against Aston Villa, a 1-0 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and eventually, a goalless draw away to Brighton and Hove Albion.

If there’s one thing that can be said for Cooper and his men ahead of this match, it’s that they’ll be going into it with no pressure whatsoever.

Team News

For all the new signings, Forest have three left-backs missing from action at the moment – Renan Lodi (ankle), Omar Richards (calf) and Harry Toffolo (hamstring). It likely means that former Liverpool right-back Neco Williams will be playing on the left again.

Centre-back Moussa Niakhate is also out (hamstring), as are midfielders Jack Colback (back) and Lewis O’Brien (illness).

Lewis Cook and Steve McKenna are likely to pair up in the heart of defence again, with former Spurs defender Serge Aurier on the right. Remo Freuler is the man that will be sitting deep ahead of the back line, joined in the midfield section by Orel Mangala and captain Ryan Yates. Brennan Johnson is likely to lead the attacking line again, supported from the flanks by former Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Liverpool

Liverpool appear to have found some kind of a rhythm lately after a hugely disappointing start of the season. There is still a lot to be done for them to really make up the lost ground, but three wins in a row is certainly a good start. Their last-six run now consists of a 3-3 draw at home against Brighton, a 2-0 home win over Rangers in the Champions League, a 3-2 defeat away to league leaders Arsenal, a 1-7 thrashing of Rangers in Glasgow, a huge 1-0 triumph over Manchester City at home, and a 1-0 home win over West Ham earlier this week.

Their position in the table has consequently improved, and they’re now in seventh place with 16 points, four off Chelsea in fourth place with Manchester United and Newcastle in between, but a whole 11 behind the Gunners at the top.

There has been plenty of controversy these days involving Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp, who was sent off in the City game for a heated outburst towards one of the officials. A few days before that, the German spoke about the financial power of City and Newcastle, pointing out that these clubs don’t have a ceiling when it comes to spending money. His words caused an avalanche of reaction, with unnamed sources within the Premier League champions reportedly accusing him of xenophobia – a ridiculous notion altogether, and Klopp and Liverpool FC are now believed to have taken legal action against those pushing such a narrative.

But back on the football pitch, it’s strictly business for Klopp and his men, and they won’t be too bothered by these matters when they face Forest on Saturday.

Team News

They will, however, be bothered with Darwin Nunez picking up a slight hamstring issue in the West Ham match after scoring the winning goal. The Uruguayan striker is currently being assessed. Midfielders Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain aren’t yet ready to play, but the manager says they should be back soon.

Forwards Luis Diaz (knee) and Diogo Jota (calf) will not be back before the end of the World Cup, which makes Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah pretty much nailed on to start, especially if Nunez doesn’t pass the test. There will be no Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate in the heart of defence, so it’s likely to be Joe Gomez next to Virgil van Dijk after a great game against West Ham. Alternatively, Klopp could give one of them a breather and use Nathaniel Phillips, but that isn’t very likely with every game now important.

Conclusion

Injuries or not, Liverpool must win this game and it’s only to be expected that they enter the contest with real determination. Salah will be especially motivated, having shown glimpses that he could be on the way back into form.

Verdict: Mohamed Salah to score

Best odds: 10/11

Bookmaker: Unibet