Liverpool will be hoping to continue their winning ways after that emphatic result against Leeds United as the Reds take on Nottingham Forest at Anfield in Saturday’s Premier League contest.
Jurgen Klopp’s men secured a thumping 6-1 win away at relegation favourites Leeds United earlier in the week with Liverpool bouncing back from a six-game winless run in a superb fashion.
Goals were abundant in the Elland Road showdown between the two sides with Liverpool shipping six past a toothless Leeds side who failed to pose any challenge to the visitors despite playing on home turf.
Monday night’s win, however, did not ensure Liverpool’s entry into the European places as the Merseyside outfit remain eighth in the league standings, nine points adrift of fourth placed Newcastle United.
The fourth and final Champions League spot is still up for grabs and with Liverpool due for an easy fixture list on paper, Klopp would be hopeful that his players get the job done in their upcoming contest against the league’s new boys Forest.
Liverpool are unbeaten in seven successive home fixtures in top-flight action while Nottingham Forest are under pressure as they languish in 18th place with their latest outing coming against top four hopefuls Manchester United in a 2-0 defeat.
Forest manager Steve Cooper had every right to feel hard done by a rather clear handball from United centre-back Harry Maguire which was not flagged in that game but he will have to motivate his side to pick up their run of form with the season heading into the final stages.
WHEN & WHERE?
Date: Saturday 22 April 2023
Time: 2 PM GMT
Venue: Anfield
TEAM NEWS
There are no fresh injury concerns in store for Liverpool who welcomed back Luis Diaz from a long term injury layoff in the win over Leeds.
Despite coming off the bench to score Liverpool’s sixth on Monday, Darwin Nunez could once again have to settle for minutes in the later stages of the game with the in-form Diogo Jota, who netted twice in the Leeds clash, likely to retain his place in the XI.
The fit-again Thiago Alcantara could return to the team sheet at the expense of Curtis Jones who will be unlucky to miss out after an impressive run of form by him of late.
Midfielders Naby Keita and Stefan Bajcetic, the former of whom might have well played his final game in the Liverpool colours, remain sidelined alongside summer signing Calvin Ramsay.
KEY BATTLE
Diogo Jota vs Taiwo Awoniyi
Jota was lethal in front of the goal against Leeds with two strikes to his name alongside an assist as the Portugal international broke his goal drought stretching back to April 2022.
The former Wolves frontman would be tasked with troubling the Forest backline and Jota will be brimming with confidence following his Monday night heroics in Yorkshire.
Forest, meanwhile, will depend upon the ex-Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi who had haunted his old club in the reverse fixture last October with the only goal of the game to help his side win 1-0 at the City Ground.
MATCH PREDICTION
Playing on the Anfield turf, the home side Liverpool are the strong favourites to clinch a second win on the bounce against an uninspired Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool 4-0 Nottingham Forest
