Game Week 21 Predictions: Will Forest hurt Liverpool again?

Nottingham Forest hosts Liverpool in a crucial match. Can Forest continue their impressive run, or will Liverpool edge closer to the title?

Liverpool's only league loss so far was at home to Forest, will Nuno's side do it again on Tuesday night? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool

The City Ground

9:00 pm

Who would have thought a Liverpool-Nottingham Forest match from this season would affect the title? Stranger things have happened but this is a discovery.

This season, Forest has performed significantly better than expected. They have won their last five games across all competitions, are currently in third place on the log, are level on points with Arsenal in second, and could surpass the Gunners on Tuesday night.

Liverpool is the team of the moment in Europe and in England. They dropped points at home to Manchester United in their last league game and fell to Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals, leaving them having to battle the deficit in the second leg.

The 2-2 draw against United could even have been worse as they had to thank Joshua Zirkzee and Harry Maguire for conspiring to miss a gilt-edged chance at the tail end of the game. Is Liverpool losing steam? Are they tired?

It’s a valid question to ask considering how swashbuckling they have been this season, and with quite a few fixtures still to go this January, you wonder if teams will target their fatigue, especially if they don’t reinforce in this transfer window.

The Reds have been lucky with injury this season. Ibrahim Konate is back, and Federico Chiesa scored in their 4-0 win over League 1 side Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup on Saturday. Almost everyone is available for Liverpool, and that counts for something.

Nottingham Forest, with only Ibrahim Sangaré out of action, can make the same claim. Over the past few months, they have successfully navigated through injuries, maximised their squad, and maximised the potential of their available players, positioning themselves to contend for the title.

Chris Wood, at 33, is proving to be a special player, ranking third on the goalscorer sheet behind Mohammed Salah and Erling Haaland. Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson Odoi, and Morgan Gibbs White have ably assisted him, and the defence continues to play its part.

Ola Aina has been a revelation this season, and it will be seen if he stays at the club at the end of the season. Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo are impressive too, putting in great shifts to shut opponents out and not forgetting Matt Selz in goal. What a team Nuno Espirito Santo has put together!

Mo Salah’s contract continues to be a subject of debate, but he will be the man to watch at the City Ground on Tuesday night. If the hosts get a result here, we could start drumming up Europe for them while a win for Liverpool takes them one step closer to the title.

Verdict: Liverpool is to win.