Game Week 2 Predictions: Liverpool to beat Forest at Anfield

Liverpool must beat Nottingham Forest to avoid slipping too far off from the top. How will the visitors respond to Liverpool's firepower...

Liverpool must beat Nottingham Forest to avoid slipping too far off from the top. How will the visitors respond to Liverpool's firepower? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest

Anfield

12:30pm

It's the first home game of the season for the Reds, and they must avoid the errors they made last season against Nottingham Forest.

It's Andoni Iraola's home debut, a game of giant significance for Liverpool after their opening-day 2-2 draw away at Newcastle. It wasn't a vintage performance by any standard, and the manner in which the Reds conceded the two Magpies' goals left too much to be desired.

For Nottingham Forest, it was a false start for Oliver Glasner. Many didn't understand the German tactician's decision to head to the midlands from Crystal Palace; he must get his team to start ticking after the home loss to Leeds United last weekend.

Of the nine managers who are new to their respective jobs, two of them are facing each other in this fixture. It's also worth noting that both managers aren't new to the league, as they both left a Premier League club to take their current jobs.

Without a doubt, Iraola took the bigger job, as the Spaniard is expected to get Liverpool back to the top. Arne Slot won the Premier League in his first season in charge but was largely underwhelming last season, which handed Arsenal the title advantage.

Iraola is expected to fit in cleanly at Anfield, but he must win this game to win the Anfield fans over. In his own way, he tortured Liverpool immensely last season from the Crystal Palace dugout. This one at Anfield is a game that Liverpool must take seriously.

Forest doesn't have European distractions this season, and they have crashed out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle; they can now focus on the league and get things back on track, as survival is the barest minimum for Evangelos Marinakis. Forest will be expected to push up the log in search of European qualification.

How will they line up? Alexander Isak huffed and puffed at his old stomping ground last weekend; he has another chance to impress on Saturday in the lunchtime kickoff. Florian Wirtz and Rio Ngomouha are also expected to flank the Swede.

Victor Munoz is pushing for a start. Will Iraola hand him one at home? Liverpool has agreed to a deal for Bradley Barcola with PSG; the Frenchman is expected to be unveiled before kickoff. He will be expected to feature for the Reds in game week 3.

For Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White will be expected to lead the charge for their first points of the season. Glasner is known to stay compact, organized, and aggressive in pressing; they might find joy with Liverpool's defense that is still taking shape.

Verdict: Liverpool to win.