Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Betting Tips & Preview

Liverpool to win

Liverpool are the pick to beat Nottingham Forest in this Premier League fixture, and the case rests largely on the gulf in momentum between the two sides heading into the new campaign. Forest arrive off the back of back-to-back defeats to Leeds United, while Liverpool's recent form, though not spectacular, has at least kept them unbeaten in their last outing. Add in a head-to-head record that tilts slightly in Liverpool's favour over the last five meetings, and there's enough here to make the home win the most probable outcome on the balance of the evidence, with odds of 2.30 available at the time of writing.

Recent Form

Liverpool's form coming into this one is mixed rather than convincing. Of their last five matches, they lost away to Manchester United and away to Aston Villa, while drawing at home to Chelsea and Brentford before settling for another draw away at Newcastle United in their most recent fixture. That's a run without a win in four, though the fact none of those results have come with a defeat since mid-May offers some reassurance that the dip has steadied.

Forest's recent form is more concerning. They drew at home with Newcastle United and with Bournemouth, and lost away to Manchester United, but it's the two most recent results that stand out — back-to-back home defeats to Leeds United in late August. Losing twice in quick succession to the same opponent, and doing so on home turf, suggests Forest go into this match short on confidence and with defensive issues to address.

Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record between these two sides over the last five meetings reads Liverpool 2-1-2 Nottingham Forest, a spread that shows little to separate them historically. Liverpool won in February 2026 and again back in March 2024, both times away from home at the City Ground, while Forest have had the better of two meetings themselves, winning in November 2025 at Anfield and in September 2024, also at Anfield. The sides also played out a draw at the City Ground in January 2025. It's a fixture that has swung back and forth rather than been dominated by either club, though Liverpool's two wins in this sample both came on the road, which is worth bearing in mind given this match is at Anfield.

Team News

Liverpool have two absentees to note. Hugo Ekitiké remains sidelined with an Achilles tendon rupture suffered back in April, a long-term issue that has kept him out since mid-season, while Joe Gomez has been missing since late July with a muscle injury. Neither is expected to be involved based on the information available.

Nottingham Forest's situation is more contained, with Willy Boly the only player listed as sidelined, out since February with a knee injury. Beyond that, there are no further absences reported for Forest, meaning Steve Cooper's side — barring any late team news not covered here — should otherwise have a fuller squad to choose from than their hosts.