Key events
Elsewhere in the Premier League: Rob Smyth is keeping tabs on tonight’s three 7.30pm kick-offs in the top flight and you can follow the action with him by clicking on the link below …
Arne Slot: “We have to do better”
“To lose on that day was hard to take,” said Liverpool’sd head coach of his side’s surprise defeat at the hands of Forest at Anfield. “Now, looking back and seeing where they are in the league, it is not such a shock result as it felt then. They had a good game plan and made us play a poor game. We have to do better. We have to look into the details.”
Nuno: “We know what we can do”
“We are here to compete against all of the teams and I think we are doing well, but nothing changes in our approach, which stays the same,” said the Forest boss of tonight’s opponents. “We know what we can do and how we want to do things. We know each other, our strengths and weaknesses. So let’s play the game.”
Upon being asked if he thinks Liverpool underestimated his side ahead of their game at Anfield in September, Nuno had this to say: “I cannot answer that. I don’t know. We don’t ever underestimate any opponent and the proof was against Luton. There’s no easy game in football. In my view, never, ever underestimate anybody.”
Jurgen Klopp: “I hope Salah stays at Liverpool”
Jürgen Klopp has described Mohamed Salah as “the biggest striker Liverpool have had in modern times”, saying he hopes his former employers will resolve their contract standoff with their talisman and extend his stay beyond this summer. Nick Ames reports from Salzburg …
Tonight’s match officials
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Referee: Chris Kavanagh
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Assistants: Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring
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Fourth official: John Busby
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VAR: John Brooks
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Assistant VAR: Derek Eaton
Those teams: Curtis Jones drops to the bench and is replced by Dominik Szoboszlai in the only change to the Liverpool side that started against Manchester United last time out in the Premier League.
Forest also make one change from their most recent league game, a 3-0 win away at Wolves. Nicolas Dominguez starts on the bench, making way for Ryan Yates.
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool line-ups
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Yates, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Hudson-Odoi, Wood.
Subs: Miguel, Morato, Awoniyi, Dominguez, Ward-Prowse, Moreno, Jota, Sosa, Boly.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szooboszlai, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Quansah, Bradley.
Early team news
Liverpool are without striker Darwin Nunez, who must sit this game out through suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the season in his side’s most recent league match against Manchester United. Defender Joe Gomez also misses out with a hamstring injury.
Danilo could start for Nottingham Forest tonight after making his return from an ankle injury off the bench against Luton in the FA Cup on Saturday. Ivorian defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare misses out with a hamstring injury. Brazilian goalkeeper Carlos Miguel is likely to return to the Forest bench despite his impressive showing against Luton, with first choice goalkeeper Matz Sels likely to return between the sticks.
Premier League: Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
The only team to beat Liverpool in the league so far this season, Nottingham Forest host Arne Slot’s league leaders this evening hoping to repeat the feat and in the process establish their credentials as the most unlikely title contenders since Leicester City in 2016.
Among the favourites for relegation before a ball was kicked in August, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest have been a revelation this season and tonight’s game is something of a call-back to the classic encounters contested between these two clubs in the 1970s and 80s.
In third place in the table, six points behind Liverpool having played one match more, Forest are already being spoken of as potential Champions League qualifiers but a second win this season over Liverpool will almost certainly have their fans daring to dream of so much more. Kick-off at the City Ground is at 8pm GMT but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
