Liverpool v Nottingham Forest: Iraola and Glasner Renew Rivalry

Anfield gets its first big Saturday lunchtime of the Premier League season as Liverpool host Nottingham Forest, with two coaches who know each other – and each other’s habits – extremely well.

Kick-off is at 12:30 on TNT Sports 1. The stakes are modest on paper, this early in the campaign. The mood around both clubs says otherwise.

Liverpool seeking lift-off

Liverpool sit 10th with a single point, still searching for their first league win of 2026/27 under Andoni Iraola. Their last outing, a 2-2 draw against Newcastle, showed both the promise and the looseness of this new-look side.

They led, they wobbled, they had to settle.

Even so, Iraola’s record against Forest is spotless: six meetings, three wins, three draws, no defeats. He also holds the edge head‑to‑head over Oliver Glasner – two wins and three draws from five clashes. Anfield expects that to continue.

The predicted XI is aggressive. Alisson Becker anchors a back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are set to control the middle, with Rio Ngumoha and Florian Wirtz supplying the craft behind Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak.

That is a team built to dominate the ball and run at tired legs.

Liverpool do have problems in depth. Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitiké and Giovanni Leoni are all unavailable through injury, trimming Iraola’s defensive and attacking options. The starting XI, though, is close to full strength and almost identical to the side that went toe-to-toe with Newcastle on 23 August.

Forest under early pressure

Forest arrive with no points on the board and 13th place next to their name, their season already carrying a hint of tension. They are on a run of two straight defeats and two matches without a win, the latest a 2-0 loss at Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.

Glasner knows this stage. He has faced Liverpool seven times in his career, winning three, drawing two and losing two. Few visiting managers walk into Anfield with a positive record against the Reds. That alone gives Forest something to cling to.

His predicted line-up looks more pragmatic than the one that fell short at Elland Road. Matz Sels should start in goal, protected by Jair Cunha, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Ola Aina. In midfield, James McAtee and Ibrahim Sangaré are expected to join Neco Williams, with Morgan Gibbs-White pulling the strings behind Igor Jesus and Dan Ndoye.

It’s a side that can break quickly and scrap in wide areas, which is exactly what you need when Frimpong and Kerkez are thundering forward.

Forest are not at full strength either. Ryan Yates and Nicolò Savona miss out through injury, robbing Glasner of experience and energy in central areas. He will lean heavily on Sangaré’s presence and Gibbs‑White’s ingenuity to keep Forest competitive.

Tactical undercurrent and recent history

The last time these two met, Liverpool edged it 1-0. It was tight, tense, and decided by fine margins. Expect similar patterns: Liverpool with territory and possession, Forest trying to turn every turnover into a counter-punch.

The managers add another layer. Iraola’s sides press high and play on the front foot; Glasner’s teams organise quickly, defend compactly and strike when opponents over-commit. Their personal record – Iraola unbeaten against Glasner – quietly shadows this fixture, even as Glasner’s own positive history against Liverpool offers a counterweight.

Something has to give.

Anfield will demand Liverpool’s first league win of the campaign. Forest, bruised by back-to-back defeats, simply need a foothold. By Saturday afternoon, we’ll know which story takes hold of their season.