Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Prediction: Key Stats and Betting Tips

Liverpool welcome Nottingham Forest to Anfield on 29 August 2026 in the second round of the Premier League season, with both sides looking to lay down an early marker. Anfield remains one of the toughest venues in England, and Liverpool will be eager to turn their opening-day draw into a first win in front of their own fans.

After one match, Liverpool sit 10th with 1 point, having drawn 2-2 away, while Nottingham Forest are 15th with no points following a 0-1 home defeat. The hosts have already shown they can score, but also that they can be opened up defensively, whereas Forest have yet to find the net. With recent head-to-head clashes between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest often tight but occasionally explosive, this fixture has all the ingredients of an intriguing Premier League contest.

From a betting perspective, the market strongly favours Liverpool at Anfield, but Forest’s recent record here – including a 3-0 win in November 2025 and a 1-0 victory in September 2024 – suggests this may not be the straightforward home banker many expect.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Key Stats

• Liverpool are 10th with 1 point after 1 match, scoring and conceding 2 goals (2-2 away on the opening day).
• In the last five competitive meetings, Nottingham Forest have twice won at Anfield (3-0 on 22 November 2025 and 1-0 on 14 September 2024), while Liverpool have also recorded narrow home wins.
• In Premier League 2026 statistics so far, Liverpool average 2.0 goals scored and 2.0 conceded per match, while Nottingham Forest average 0.0 scored and 1.0 conceded.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest — Tale of the Tape

• Position: 10 vs 15
• Points: 1 vs 0
• Goals For: 2 vs 0
• Goals Against: 2 vs 1
• Clean Sheets: 0 vs 0

Early in the campaign, the table is still taking shape, but Liverpool already look the more potent side going forward. They have scored twice in their only outing and created enough to win, even if their defensive record (2 conceded) shows there is work to do.

Nottingham Forest, by contrast, have started with a narrow 0-1 defeat at home. They have yet to score in the league and have already failed to find the net once in just one match. Both teams are still searching for their first clean sheet of the season, but the underlying attacking numbers – 2.0 goals per game for Liverpool versus 0.0 for Forest – underline why the hosts are strong favourites at Anfield.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Key Matchups

R. Gravenberch vs O. Aina

Ryan Gravenberch has been one of Liverpool’s early bright spots in the Premier League 2026 season. In his single appearance so far, the midfielder has provided 1 assist and played 78 minutes, registering 47 passes with an impressive 91% accuracy and 1 key pass. He has also contributed defensively with 1 tackle and 2 interceptions, underlining his box-to-box influence.

Ola Aina, listed as a midfielder for Nottingham Forest, has also played 1 league match, featuring for 74 minutes. He has attempted 1 shot on target and created 3 key passes from 26 total passes, albeit with a more modest 65% accuracy. Aina has been heavily involved in duels (11 total, 5 won) and completed 3 successful dribbles from 5 attempts, showing his ability to carry the ball and break lines. He has, however, picked up 1 yellow card, which is something to monitor if he is tasked with containing Liverpool’s midfield runners like Gravenberch.

Jair vs Liverpool attack

For Nottingham Forest, defender Jair has been a key figure at the back in the early going. In his 90-minute appearance, he recorded 42 passes with 88% accuracy, 2 tackles, 2 blocks and 1 interception, as well as engaging in 11 duels (4 won). His defensive activity and composure on the ball will be critical against a Liverpool front line that features the likes of Federico Chiesa, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo in the squad list.

Jair’s ability to read danger and win aerial and ground duels will be tested by Liverpool’s movement and crossing threat, especially if the hosts line up with attacking full-backs and multiple creative midfielders. Any lapse in concentration could be punished quickly at Anfield.

Head-to-Head: Last Meetings

Recent meetings between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest have been closely contested, with several low-scoring games punctuated by occasional high-margin wins. Anfield has not always been a fortress in this matchup, and Forest have shown they can frustrate and even overwhelm Liverpool on their own turf.

• 22 February 2026: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
• 22 November 2025: Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
• 14 January 2025: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
• 14 September 2024: Liverpool 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
• 2 March 2024: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

Stats suggest Liverpool should control this contest, especially at Anfield. They have already scored twice in their only league outing and boast a stronger attacking profile than Nottingham Forest, who are still searching for their first goal of the season. Liverpool’s recent record against Forest is mixed, but they did win the most recent clash 1-0 away in February 2026, which should give them confidence.

The prediction model leans towards a Liverpool win, naming them as the expected winner. However, the probabilities are relatively balanced: around 35% for a home win, 35% for a draw and 30% for an away win. That indicates respect for Forest’s ability to keep games tight and their history of upsetting Liverpool at Anfield. Even so, with Liverpool’s superior squad depth and attacking options, a narrow home victory looks the most plausible outcome.

Predicted Score: Liverpool 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Liverpool Recent Form

Liverpool’s recent Premier League form line is a single draw, reflecting their 2-2 opening-day result away from home. They have shown attacking sharpness with 2 goals scored but also some defensive vulnerability with 2 conceded. Their last five metrics in the prediction data point to strong attacking and decent defensive indices, suggesting a side that can both create chances and, with improvement, tighten up at the back.

Nottingham Forest Recent Form

Nottingham Forest come into this match off a defeat, having lost 0-1 at home in their first Premier League 2026 fixture. They have yet to score and have already failed to find the net once in just one match. Their last five indices show very low attacking output but a relatively solid defensive profile, implying a team more comfortable containing opponents than taking the initiative.

Liverpool Possible Starting Lineup

GK: Alisson Becker or G. Mamardashvili; Defenders: V. van Dijk, J. Gomez, M. Kerkez, K. Tsimikas, J. Frimpong; Midfielders: W. Endo, A. Mac Allister, R. Gravenberch, D. Szoboszlai, F. Wirtz, C. Jones, H. Elliott; Forwards/Attackers: F. Chiesa, A. Isak, C. Gakpo, H. Ekitike, Víctor Muñoz.

Liverpool’s squad list points to a flexible, attack-minded setup, likely in a 4-2-3-1 or similar shape, which they have already used once in this Premier League season according to formation data. With creative midfielders such as Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Wirtz, plus pace and finishing from Chiesa, Isak and Gakpo, Liverpool have multiple routes to goal. The presence of experienced defenders like Van Dijk and versatile full-backs such as Tsimikas and Frimpong should allow them to push high while maintaining a defensive platform.

Nottingham Forest Possible Starting Lineup

GK: M. Sels or S. Benda; Defenders: Jair, Morato, N. Milenković, Murillo, L. Netz; Midfielders: O. Aina, N. Domínguez, X. Schlager, I. Sangaré, N. Williams, R. Yates; Forwards/Attackers: M. Gibbs-White, C. Hudson-Odoi, T. Awoniyi, A. Kalimuendo, D. Ndoye, Igor Jesus.

Forest have already lined up in a 3-4-2-1 once this season, and their squad composition supports that approach: a solid bank of central defenders, energetic wing-backs and a mix of creative and industrious midfielders. Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi can operate off a central striker like Awoniyi or Kalimuendo, while Aina and Netz could provide width. The challenge will be transitioning from a compact defensive block into effective counter-attacks against Liverpool’s high press.

Liverpool Team News

No significant absences reported.

Nottingham Forest Team News

No significant absences reported.

Injuries & Suspensions

Liverpool:

• None reported.

Nottingham Forest:

• None reported.

Betting Tips: Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest

Exactly 3 distinct tips from different markets:

• Result Tip: Back Liverpool to win. The prediction probabilities give Liverpool around a 35% chance of victory, similar to the draw but ahead of Forest’s 30%. Crucially, the bookmakers are far more bullish: home odds range from 1.42 to 1.54, implying an approximate probability between 64.9% and 70.4%. Given Liverpool’s stronger attack and home advantage, the home win is the logical play at prices like 1.42–1.54 in the Match Winner market.
• Goals Tip: Over 2.5 total goals. Liverpool’s only league game so far finished 2-2, and their attack looks capable of scoring multiple times. Forest have been involved in several tight H2H contests, but there have also been higher-scoring meetings, such as Liverpool 3-0 Forest in October 2023 and Liverpool 3-2 Forest in April 2022. With Liverpool’s attacking options and Forest’s need to improve going forward, backing a goals market like over 2.5 at odds in the region of standard totals pricing (to be checked with your chosen bookmaker alongside the Match Winner lines) has appeal.
• Value Tip: Liverpool to win and both teams to score (BTTS – Yes). Forest have previously scored at Anfield in a 3-2 defeat in April 2022 and have shown they can trouble Liverpool on their day. Liverpool, meanwhile, have yet to keep a clean sheet this season and conceded twice in their opener. Combining a Liverpool win with BTTS offers a higher return than the straight home win and leverages Liverpool’s attacking strength plus their occasional defensive lapses. With straight home odds around 1.42–1.54, the win+BTTS price with major bookmakers should be significantly bigger and could represent value for those expecting a competitive game.

Odds are accurate at the time of writing and subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.