Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Prediction 29 August 2026
🔊 Liverpool and Nottingham Forest meet in the second round of the Premier League. The hosts open their home campaign after a difficult start to the season, while Forest travel to Anfield looking for their first points.
Both sides will be looking to put right what went wrong in the opening round. Liverpool need to back up their status as favourites on home soil, while the visitors will have to cope with sustained pressure and find their moments on the counter.
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 intent in their opening fixture: 27 shots and 2.98 xG against Newcastle. Their defence, meanwhile, has yet to look convincing.
Forest will likely prioritise compactness after losing to Leeds, but Glasner's system is built on active wide play and quick transitions. If the visitors can weather the early pressure, chances will come their way. It's also worth noting that over 2.5 goals has landed in seven consecutive away Premier League matches for Nottingham Forest. Our pick is Total Goals - Over 2.5 at 1.67*.
🚩 Corner Kick Prediction
At home, Liverpool should enjoy significantly more possession and spend more time in positional play. Even at Newcastle, Iraola's side managed 27 shots, which shows how persistently they look to put pressure on opposition defences. Forest, though, are capable of sitting in a low block for long periods. There's also a clear trend worth noting: Liverpool have won more than 6.5 corners in 7 of their last 8 Premier League meetings with Forest. Our pick is Liverpool Team Corners - Over 6.5 at 1.88*.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
Liverpool's high press and Forest's tendency to transition quickly out of defence could lead to a high number of duels. We're going with Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5.
🚀 Player Stat Bet
Playing at home gives Liverpool good conditions for an attacking performance. In their opening match against Newcastle, Andi Iraola's side attempted 27 shots and generated an xG of 2.98. Dominik Szoboszlai remains one of the key figures in attack - he has already scored from the penalty spot and can be a threat from set pieces and long range. Our pick: Dominik Szoboszlai to Score.
😱 Risky Bet
Liverpool at home are almost always aggressive and create plenty of chances. Nottingham away against top clubs tend to sit deep, but once they concede they're forced to open up. That kind of scenario creates the conditions for a high-scoring match.
The hosts should find their opportunities if they score early, while the visitors have pace up front and can hurt teams on the counter. On that basis, more than five goals is not out of the question. The bet - Total Goals - Over 5 - at a tempting 7.4*.
🎯 Reliable Bet
Liverpool at Anfield operate from a position of strength and consistently create chances in the opposition's half. In 16 of their last 17 matches, the total goals have exceeded 1.5. That reflects a consistent attacking output - the hosts almost always score at least twice or are involved in a high-scoring exchange.
Nottingham Forest don't look like a side capable of shutting up shop completely either. Even away against stronger opponents, they concede chances, and once a goal goes in they have 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 doesn't go to script
Both sides could feel each other out early on, with the first half played cautiously. Liverpool may not want to push forward too aggressively, while Forest are likely to sit deep and stay compact. In that scenario, Total Goals - Under 0.5 in the first half at 3.78* is worth considering.
*Odds are indicative 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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