The Reds’ first league win at Forest in 40 years?
The City Ground is not a good place for the visitors from the Mersey: The “Reds” have been waiting for a league away win at Forest for 13 attempts! The unsuccessful run also includes all six of their Premier League outings (0-3-3). Will the Nottingham curse end for Liverpool? Read our predictions and odds here
The hosts have already lost 3-0 at Anfield Road in the first half of the season. Liverpool now have the chance to win their first seasonal double since the 1984/85 season, when Joe Fagan was still in charge at LFC. The coach, who passed away more than 20 years ago, had won Liverpool’s treble of the league, league cup and European Cup in 1984
An achievement that Jürgen Klopp still has on his agenda for this season. After recently winning the League Cup, it could even be enough for four titles! For the clash between Nottingham and Liverpool, the prediction of a goal celebrations on both sides seems particularly promising. If you don’t have an account with Oddset yet, we can recommend this well-known betting provider:
Nottingham – Statistics & current form
Portuguese coach Nuno Espírito Santo will have mixed feelings about the clash from a personal perspective. He has lost all six of his Premier League duels with Liverpool!
On the other hand, the former Wolves and Hotspur manager has already left a positive mark on the hosts. Since he took charge, the home side have scored in nine PL games, netting a total of 17 goals
Forest’s defense continues to shake
However, he has not yet been able to stabilize the defence. The home side have only recorded one clean sheet in league action under his aegis. In offense, the “Tricky Trees” will also rely primarily on Taiwo Awoniyi. Since returning to the top flight last season, the Nigerian has scored 16 goals and provided four assists.
This record makes the former Union Berlin player the top scorer for the 1979 European Cup winners. The home side should also avoid falling behind against Liverpool.
The visitors have already scored the first goal of the game 14 times this season and only once have they failed to come away victorious (13-1-0). Nottingham, on the other hand, are much weaker at managing their own leads.
Only five of the eleven games in which the 1978 champions took an early lead ended in a win. The resulting win rate of 45 per cent in such games is bettered only by the three “B clubs” from Brentford, Bournemouth and Burnley in the league.
Nottingham with room for improvement in home games
In addition, Forest are not strong at home. Only four of their 13 home games this season have ended in victory for the two-time FA Cup winners (4-3-6). However, at least in the first half of their home matches, the home side have been comparatively stable.
In the majority of their league home games (7), they have gone in at the break with a draw on the scoreboard. In view of this, the betting tip and odds for another draw at the break are also worth a recommendation for the clash between Nottingham and Liverpool.
The prediction is supported by a similar pattern in LFC’s away games. Almost half (6) of their 13 away games this PL season have ended in a draw at half-time!
Predicted Nottingham line-up:
Liverpool – Statistics & current form
The “Reds” have a particularly busy schedule these weeks. Last weekend saw the final of the EFL Cup, which was won after extra time against Chelsea, and this week the players from the Mersey were called upon again in the FA Cup.
They recorded a 3:0 home win against Southampton from the Championship. Once again, Liverpool were able to impress despite many absentees, as Klopp once again nominated numerous players from the “LFC nursery” who successfully stepped into the breach. One example is the recently turned 18-year-old Jayden Danns, who celebrated his debut in the PL in the last league game against Luton and scored his first two goals for the visitors in the recent win against the Saints.
Liverpool aim to defend their place in the sun
Although the success in the League Cup has given Liverpool their first “silverware” of the season, the focus is naturally on the championship. LFC are currently well on course to finish top of the table.
However, the personnel situation for coach Jürgen Klopp’s team is still very tight. Key players such as goalkeeper Alisson and striker Jota are currently missing from all parts of the team
Diaz with goal for Liverpool?
On the other hand, Luiz Diaz is a bright spot. The Colombian has recorded three goals and two assists in his last five league games. With this in mind, the prediction of his next goal celebration in the clash between Nottingham and Liverpool is also worth considering
Predicted Liverpool line-up:
Nottingham – Liverpool head-to-head comparison / H2H result
The 16th-placed team in the last edition of the Premier League lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the first half of the season. Thanks to the win, the visitors have two successes in a row in this fixture.
In addition, although they have been waiting almost 40 years for their next away win at Nottingham in league action, the Reds at least triumphed in the FA Cup at the City Ground two years ago. Diogo Jota scored the winning goal to make it 1-0 in that quarter-final, but is now unable to play due to injury.
Nottingham – Liverpool betting tip
The prediction for the match between Nottingham and Liverpool includes a goal celebration for both sides. The visitors are currently short of substitutes and the absences affect not least the defense. Among others, the regular number 1 Alisson has to miss out.
Although his replacement Caoimin Kelleher performed brilliantly in the recent EFL final and saved his club with numerous saves, he generally cannot match the exceptional class of the Brazilian’s regular keeper.
It’s easy to see from the fact that he has only collected four clean sheets in his 17 competitive matches this season. Furthermore, the home side have improved significantly in attack under their current coach Nuno Espirito Santo and have scored consistently in their last nine league games with him in charge.
The fact that Liverpool are stable despite all their personnel problems and have scored the most goals in the PL (63) speaks in favor of at least one goal from the visitors. They arrive with a run of five wins across all competitions. On top of that, although the hosts have improved offensively, they remain vulnerable defensively, which is why only one of the last nine league games has not ended with goals on either side.
