Three wins in a row to start the season. No goals conceded. A new manager who starts with just one key signing. A team that looks solid in defence and dangerous in attack. Even Arne Slot couldn’t have predicted that things would start so well at Liverpool.
Succeeding Jürgen Klopp was always going to be a tough task. You could say it was as tough a challenge as David Moyes, who succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United after bringing eight trophies to Anfield. It may be too early to say, but so far everything seems to be going like clockwork.
Ahead of this weekend’s visit of Nottingham Forest, Liverpool have scored seven unanswered goals – all from their great strikers Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota. Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have formed a fiery midfield duo that sets the tempo for the team’s deadly counterattacks.
Liverpool dismantled Man United last time out at Old Trafford and Slot’s fascinating post-match tactical debrief showed that his thorough coaching was crucial to the team’s blistering start to the season. “Their full-backs sometimes stand really high and then Casemiro gets in between (the centre-backs),” said the Dutchman. “So when you pick up the ball and keep Luis Diaz and Mo Salah high, you’re constantly in a one-on-one situation.”
Luck also seems to be on Slots’ side when it comes to injuries. Curtis Jones is back in training after missing two games. New signing Federico Chiesa is also working hard on his fitness and is in the running. Mac Allister suffered an injury shock with the Argentinian national team but fought through. Harvey Elliott, however, was not so lucky, breaking his foot while playing for England’s U21 team.
This weekend will be a big challenge for Forest, who have one win and two draws under Nuno Espirito Santo this season. The pace of Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the wings can cause real problems for Liverpool – as can the physical presence of Chris Wood in attack.
Forest only have two injuries to contend with: defenders Danilo and Willy Boly, both of whom are expected to be out for long periods. The club has been through a lot in the last year: battling relegation, the sacking of Steve Cooper and a points deduction.
Now the team looks more like a cohesive unit under Espirito Santo, but it could be a tough afternoon for his players, especially given their disappointing record at Anfield. Forest have not beaten the Reds there since February 1969, a run of 28 games, while Liverpool have scored three or more goals in each of their last five games against the Midlands team.
Slot can also make history. If his team keeps a clean sheet against Forest, he will be the first Liverpool manager to do so in his first four games in charge.
Odds for Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
Odds updated Friday 20:00 BST.
- Liverpool wins: 2/9 (-450)
- Pull: 23/4 (+575)
- Nottingham Forest win: 10/1 (+1000)
Venue: Anfield – Liverpool
Time: 3:00 p.m. BST (10:00 a.m. ET), Saturday
Form curve
Liverpool: 3-0-0, 9 points (2nd); WWW
Nottingham Forest: 1-2-0, 5 points (9th); DWD
Match prediction
Liverpool – Forest 4:1
Liverpool are on a roll and have real momentum and I expect that to continue at Anfield. If the Reds play like they did against United they could score a few goals against Forest but it’s unrealistic to think Liverpool will stay perfect forever so it could be that the away team shocks the home team at some point. Ultimately Slot’s team should be the better for them.
(Photo by Luis Diaz: Paul Ellis / AFP via Getty Images)
