Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Prediction, H2H Stats & Statistical Bets 29 August 2026
🔊 Liverpool and Nottingham Forest meet in the second round of the Premier League. The hosts begin their home campaign after a difficult opening, while Forest travel to Anfield in search of their first points. For both sides, this is a chance to put right what went wrong in the opening round. Liverpool will be looking to assert their status as favourites, while the visitors face the challenge of dealing with sustained pressure and finding their moments on the counter-attack.
Head-to-Head
📊 Last season, both sides won on their own patch: Forest pulled off a surprise 3-0 victory at Anfield, while Liverpool returned the favour with a 1-0 win at the City Ground.
Recent head-to-head meetings have varied quite a bit in how they've played out, so assuming an easy ride for the hosts based on the difference in status alone would be unwise.
Head-to-head statistics Liverpool - Nottingham Forest
Liverpool Team Overview
This will be Liverpool's first home Premier League match under Andoni Iraola. The Spaniard's debut was a mixed affair: his side twice found themselves chasing the game at Newcastle but salvaged a draw through a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute. In terms of performance, though, Liverpool were convincing - 27 shots to 13, 61% possession, and an xG advantage of 2.98 to 1.57.
The main question coming out of matchday one is defensive. Both Newcastle goals came from quick transitions, which once again highlighted Liverpool's vulnerability when moving from attack to defence. That is a particular concern for Iraola, whose teams are built around high tempo, pressing and sustained pressure.
Pre-season was busy, with Liverpool playing several matches against varied opposition and gradually improving as the summer went on. Now they face their first competitive game at Anfield under the new manager.
Their main advantage going into this match against Nottingham Forest is attacking threat. Twenty-seven shots at Newcastle makes clear that Liverpool can create chances in volume. At home, the pressure should be even greater - so much will depend on how well they can control space after losing the ball.
Match Results: Liverpool
Nottingham Forest Team Overview
Nottingham Forest started the season with a home defeat to Leeds, though they stayed in the game until the very end. Now they face a considerably tougher test at Anfield. Pre-season was encouraging - Forest beat Bayer and Brest, though they lost to Barcelona and Udinese.
For Oliver Glasner, this is the start of a new project after his time at Crystal Palace. The Austrian is building around a 3-4-2-1 system that suits the squad well. Defensively, they were strengthened in the summer by Ousmane Diomande, signed from Sporting for around £40 million.
The first competitive match suggested the team still needs time to adapt to their new manager's demands. Forest failed to score against Leeds and conceded the winner from a free kick late on. The return of Morgan Gibbs-White for the Liverpool match will be a significant boost in attack.
At Anfield, the visitors will need to do a lot of work without the ball and stay disciplined in transition. If Forest can stay compact and use their pace going forward, they will have chances to punish Liverpool when the hosts push high up the pitch.
Match Results: Nottingham Forest
⚽️ Goals Prediction
Liverpool showed serious attacking potential in the opening round: 27 shots and 2.98 xG against Newcastle. Their defence, meanwhile, has not looked particularly solid. Forest will almost certainly focus on staying compact after their defeat to Leeds, but Glasner's system involves active play down the flanks and quick transitions. If the visitors can withstand the early pressure, chances will come their way. It is also worth noting that Total Goals - Over 2.5 has landed in seven consecutive away matches for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Our pick: Total Goals - Over 2.5 at 1.67*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
At home, Liverpool should enjoy significantly more possession and play more in positional attack. Even at Newcastle, Iraola's side managed 27 shots, which gives a clear sense of how persistently they look to test the opposition defence. Forest, though, are capable of sitting in a low block for long periods. It is also worth factoring in the trend that Liverpool have won more than 6.5 corners in 7 of the last 8 head-to-head meetings between these two sides in the Premier League. Our bet: Liverpool Team Total Corners - Over 6.5 at 1.88*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Liverpool's high press and Forest's attempts to break quickly out of defence could lead to a high number of duels. Our pick: Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5.
🚀 Player Stat Bet
A home fixture gives Liverpool good conditions for an active attacking display. In the opening round against Newcastle, Andoni Iraola's side had 27 shots and generated a high xG of 2.98. Dominik Szoboszlai remains one of the key figures in attack - he already got on the scoresheet from the penalty spot and can be dangerous from set pieces and long range. Our pick: Dominik Szoboszlai to Score.
😱 Risky Bet
Liverpool at home almost always play aggressively and create plenty of chances. Nottingham away against top clubs often sit deep, but once they concede they are forced to open up. That kind of scenario creates the conditions for a high-scoring match. The hosts will likely find their moments if they score early, while the visitors have quick players up front and could respond on the counter-attack. In that scenario, more than five goals could be scored. The bet: Total Goals - Over 5 at a juicy 7.4*.
🎯 Safe Bet
Liverpool at home operate from a position of strength and regularly create chances in front of goal. In 16 of their last 17 matches, Total Goals - Over 1.5 has come in. That reflects consistent attacking output: the hosts almost always score at least twice or are involved in a match with goals at both ends.
Nottingham do not look like a side capable of shutting up shop entirely either. Even in away matches against favourites, the visitors concede chances, and after going behind they are forced to push forward. That opens up space and increases the likelihood of further goals. Our pick: Total Goals - Over 1.5 at 1.18*.
👀 If the Match Goes Another Way
The teams could feel each other out early on and play cautiously in the first half. Liverpool may not want to commit too heavily, while Forest will look to be compact and defensive. In that scenario, there could be Total Goals - Under 0.5 in the First Half at 3.78*.
*Odds are approximate and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
⭐️ Editor's Pick
Liverpool look the clear favourites here. At home, they should produce better football than they did in the opening round, particularly given how dominant they were territorially and in terms of shots at Newcastle.
Forest can cause problems on the counter, and last season's 3-0 win at Anfield is a reminder not to take them lightly. But Liverpool now have considerably more attacking options off the bench, and home support should help them control the game. We're predicting a 3-1 final score. The key bet is Liverpool - Handicap -1.
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Betting Tips: Liverpool - Nottingham Forest
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