Liverpool

Liverpool starting XI:

Alisson: Well beaten for Dan Ndoye's goal but made a superb save to deny Igor Jesus on the brink of half-time and keep Liverpool in the game. Poor penalty to give away for Gibbs-White's winner. 5

Jeremie Frimpong: Struggled defensively but got into some good positions going forward. Did really well in the build-up to Florian Wirtz's disallowed goal but was just offside. Has to improve consistency with his end delivery. 6

Jeremy Jacquet: Made a goal-saving challenge to deny Igor Jesus an early goal and was impressive but still had a few moments where he was slack and lacked discipline. 6

Virgil van Dijk: Will be furious with how easily the Liverpool backline was cut open for Ndoye's opener and the ease with which Forest won their penalty. 6

Milos Kerkez: A poor display from the Liverpool left-back and was sloppy in possession. Replaced by Kostas Tsimikas in the 71st minute. 5

Dominik Szoboszlai: Solid as usual and was much more alert defensively, compared to his display at Newcastle. 6

Alexis Mac Allister: Back in the starting XI and played a lovely reverse ball for Cody Gakpo early on. Couldn't cope physically with Igor Jesus in the build up to Ndoye's goal. 6

Cody Gakpo: Started down the right in what was potentially his last Liverpool appearance and was effective. Played a lovely ball for Wirtz, then did really well to create a chance for Victor Munoz. Didn't do his defensive duties for Forest's opener but did brilliantly to create Alexander Isak's equaliser. 7

Florian Wirtz: Constantly posed a threat and unlucky not to score, having had a neat finish ruled out as Frimpong was offside and a solid header tipped over by Matz Sels. Got the assist for Munoz's goal. 7

Victor Munoz: Made his first Liverpool start and it was down his preferred left flank. The Spaniard was direct and had a penalty shout turned down but he should have tested Sels at least when he fired a first-half effort wide from inside the box. Scored a belter to level the game in front of the Kop and rescue a point for Liverpool. 7

Alexander Isak: Just six touches in the first half and zero shots on goal but made up for a forgettable opening 45 minutes with the first equaliser on the hour mark. That was just his ninth touch but a goal that will give him plenty of confidence. 6

Liverpool substitutes:

Subs:

Tsimikas (on 71, Kerkez):5

Gravenberch (on 71, Frimpong): 5

Ngumoha (on 71, Gakpo): 5

Araujo (on 77, Jacquet): 5

Nyoni (on 77, Mac Allister): 5

Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Endo, McConnell, Koumas.

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Liverpool will be bitterly disappointed with the way the game has gone.

"Credit to Nottingham Forest, they have come to Anfield very organised. Oliver Glasner has got the blueprint already of how they're going to play and how organised they're going to be.

"From a Liverpool point of view, I'm not sure they would've got anything out of this game if they were away from home.

"They got sucker punched by the penalty and then they had a wonder goal from Victor Munoz to get them back in it again."

Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist on TNT Sports added: "I don't think either team can have any complaints.

"Oliver Glasner will probably be the happier of the two with a point at Anfield. It was a great game.

"Forest were excellent in the first half.

"The substitutions helped Liverpool and they probably did enough to earn the point in the second half."

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We were poor in the first half. We improved a lot our performance in the second half, we came from behind twice, but I think the first half didn't allow us to win the game at the end.

"We were quite passive without the ball. We were allowing them to pass and both goals, which came from throw-ins, we didn't defend properly. The general feeling is that we were passive defensively.

"In the second half when we were more aggressive and played with more intensity we attacked better. I hope this serves as a lesson for the future.

"Victor [Munoz] has played really well. Defensively and offensively he did a very good job and was always a threat.

"With the penalty, the situation has already finished when the contact appears. And it's not an aggressive contact.

"But more than this we complained about the subs. We had to wait about three minutes. He was having an issue with the board, I don't know if it was not working, but we definitely wanted to do the subs the last two or three stoppages before the goal. It wasn't just that reason but everything helps."

Liverpool goalscorer Alexander Isak, speaking to TNT about new boss Andoni Iraola: "It's been good, there is always time to get used to a new style. We are really working hard to try to play the game he wants us to play, when we start doing that better I have no doubt the results will come as well."

On his goal: "That's the job ultimately as a striker, I am very happy to score the first one. Every striker wants to score every game he plays."

Did you know?

• Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is only the 12th manager to enjoy a run of 20 consecutive unbeaten Premier League matches (W8 D12), though he is the first to do so across spells with two different clubs (18 with Bournemouth, 2 with Liverpool).

• Liverpool have failed to win either of their opening two Premier League games in a season (D2) for only the second time in the last 14 seasons, also doing so in 2022-23 when they started with two draws.

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

With a new manager, a new system and relatively new stars tasked with leading this new era at Anfield, patience was always going to be needed at Liverpool this season.

But with two forwards brought in for nine-figure fees - and a third on the way - Iraola is not likely to receive the same grace that saw him backed even after failing to win any of his first nine league games at Bournemouth.

This was another frustrating Liverpool performance with Forest able to limit them to few chances as they sat deep and invited the hosts to break them down.

The wide open spaces in midfield that proved so costly at Newcastle last weekend were not quite as evident after Iraola made the bold decision to drop Ryan Gravenberch in favour of Alexis Mac Allister, but the simplicity of the Forest goals will still have irked him.

One long ball caught them out for the first, while they appeared to switch off for the throw-in that led to the penalty.

That Wirtz and Isak were each involved in a goal was certainly a positive, though. They hold the key to Liverpool having a successful season and, quiet as Isak was otherwise, there will be few complaints if the goals keep coming.

Wirtz was brighter, albeit still with room for improvement, but then that could be said of the whole side.

More reinforcements may yet follow Bradley Barcola through the door before Tuesday's transfer deadline but regardless, Iraola will be hoping things start to click soon after another disjointed performance.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Liverpool's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Liverpool v Nottingham Forest (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Everton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Coventry v Hull City - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham v Newcastle (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated.

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Nottingham Forest travel to Liverpool looking to secure a hat-trick of league wins at Anfield for the very first time. BBC Sport looks at the key themes.

Andoni Iraola's first Premier League game in charge of Liverpool may have ended on a positive note with their last-gasp equaliser at St James' Park, but it was a 90 minutes that also shone a light on the weaknesses his side currently have.

The Reds enjoyed 61% possession and had a whopping 27 shots to Newcastle's 13 but at times they were cut apart with ease by the home side's direct and pacy counter attacks.

The Geordies' opening goal from Anthony Elanga came just 10 seconds after Newcastle won the ball in their own box, while their second took just 12 seconds from Malick Thiaw winning possession to Joe Willock finishing past Alisson with aplomb.

It raised the tally of goals the Reds have conceded from fast breaks in all competitions since the start of last season to nine, the highest of any Premier League side.

Iraola takes charge of his first competitive match at Anfield looking to protect the club's proud record of having not lost their opening league game of the season on home soil since 2003, with 17 wins and five draws from 22 such matches.

However, that impressive run will come under threat from a Nottingham Forest side that have got used to winning at Anfield. Having not triumphed there in any competition since 1969 they enjoyed a 1-0 victory in September 2024 before following it up with a thumping 3-0 success last November.

In fact, since Forest's return to the top-flight in 2022 their three league wins over Liverpool is more than any other side has managed against the Reds in that time.

Forest hope for Delap boost

Like Liverpool, Nottingham Forest are trying to find their feet under a new manager in Oliver Glasner.

He will certainly be glad to see the back of Leeds United after Daniel Farke's side inflicted back-to-back defeats on them within four days in which they failed to score a goal.

A downbeat Glasner said after Tuesday's League Cup loss that the club have to a long way to go before they get to where he wants them to be.

"The reality is, and I think everybody has to understand and accept, nine months of relegation battle, losing maybe your top midfielder (Elliot Anderson), and now we're six weeks together," the former Palace boss said. "The reality is no magician, no Messiah, it's just hard work. This is what we have to do."

A quiet summer by their recent standards in the transfer market was reflected by Glasner including no new signings in his starting line-up for their opener last Saturday.

However, the arrival of club-record signing Liam Delap will give everyone a lift. The £50m striker will be desperate to reignite his career after scoring just one goal in 28 league games in a frustrating spell at Stamford Bridge.

Forest will at least be buoyed by the fact they have scored in each of their last 10 Premier League away games – the longest current run in the top flight - netting 15 goals in their last five on the road alone.

I covered Nottingham Forest against Leeds last weekend and in fairness that was a really tight game. Oliver Glasner's gone into Forest with a big reputation but they went through four managers last year and the owner is notoriously impatient if things don't go well.

They didn't go big in the transfer window but they have got Liam Delap and he'll be hoping to get his career back on track. He had a disappointing season at Chelsea - which I know all about - but I do think there's a player in there and hopefully he'll suit Forest.

It will be interesting to see who plays as that central striker. With the money they've spent on Delap then Chris Wood may not play a major role.

I thought Liverpool deserved a point at least at Newcastle and they got a fair bit of criticism but I can't see past the Liverpool win and I think Alexander Isak will get off the mark.

Last season he shot himself in the foot - forcing the move and then he had injury issues and it didn't quite happen for him. We know there's a player in there and for his sake and Liverpool's sake, the sooner he comes to the fore the better.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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New Liverpool investor Amit Bhatia says he recognises what fans want from their football club and has referenced the "enormous responsibility" his consortium of investors now has by buying into the Reds.

Bhatia will be at Saturday's game at Anfield against Nottingham Forest - his first visit since a deal was agreed for his consortium to buy into the club.

The company - 1892 Holdings - includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and, subject to regulatory approval, will own around 38% of the 20-time English champions.

A beaming Bhatia, who has previous involvement in football with Queens Park Rangers, told Liverpool's website: "The opportunity to be involved in a club like this, with people like this, with management like this, with potential in the way that we know that this club has, is only positive thoughts and only positive feelings. And I get it, I understand that with it comes an enormous responsibility to the supporters, an enormous responsibility to make sure that people always feel the club is moving forwards.

"This club has been around since 1892 and the club will be around long after we're all gone. For a short period of time, if we were lucky enough to be part of an ownership group that can help support the club for a period of time, then all that we can hope for is that we can bring more success to the club. But more importantly, that we can make the fans even more proud of the football club that they support, that they represent, that shapes their Sunday mornings or their Mondays in the office.

"And that's a huge responsibility. But I think that that's something I recognise, something that I have interacted with and it's been very important to me in my heart throughout my involvement in sport.

"How can you not be excited? It's the biggest and the greatest football club in the world. And so to in any way be associated with it, it is the stuff of dreams, right? But it also comes, we know, in time with great responsibilities. And so that responsibility has been shouldered by FSG, we believe, in the most spectacular way over the last 16 years. And so if we as their partners can be involved, help, elevate the club, help the club in any way – and I hope that they see some value in us, which is why they've welcomed us to the table – we are ready, willing, champing at the bit and can't wait to help in any way that we are called upon to help the club. So, incredibly excited, incredibly honoured and very much looking forward to it."

Liverpool fan and author Steve Scragg expects the Reds to finish in the top eight of the league phase following their Champions League draw.

"They should do," Scragg told BBC Radio Merseyside. "That's not wanting to sound arrogant about it or anything like that but you're looking at that set of eight and you're thinking, 'yes, there's potential pitfalls' but given the format of the tournament you can have four pitfalls and still make it through."

Andoni Iraola's side will host Atletico, Porto, Villarreal and Lens while visiting Inter Milan, Brugge, Fenerbahce and LASK in the league phase of the Champions League.

Scragg isn't thrilled at another clash with Diego Simeone's men.

He said: "It feels like so, so often. You are getting to that point where you just feel like you're playing these same teams over and over again. It does kind of take that shine off it and thinking 'that great unknown' or 'it's going to be great to play those'.

"I think I'm looking at it and thinking well, there's Fenerbahce away. We don't always do that well in Turkey. Turkish club football is on the rise. That might be a little bit difficult so there might be a bit of interest in that.

"LASK, what they've done with Celtic, so I think it's kind of the ones that when you scratch beneath the surface, so rather than 'It's Atletico again', 'it's Porto again', it's a case of looking past those repetitive fixtures and where does the interest lie."

Listen to the full chat above or on BBC Sounds here.

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport Journalist

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Liverpool have twice paid more than £100m for players - midfielder Florian Wirtz and striker Alexander Isak - and could be about to do so again.

Bradley Barcola moved to Paris St-Germain from Lyon in 2023 for a reported £38.5m fee. He is right footed, although he prefers to play on the left wing, but he can also play on the right or through the middle.

With Mohamed Salah leaving on a free transfer at the end of last season, Liverpool clearly need to strengthen their attack.

At first glance, Barcola looks like the natural successor to Luis Diaz, with the underlying data suggesting the forward could fill that void.

Opta's player similarity model rated him as the winger whose output most closely resembled Diaz's across Europe's top five leagues in 2025-26 (78%), with Salah (65%), Lamine Yamal (61%) and Vinicius Junior (61%) the next closest matches.

A closer look, however, suggests Liverpool would not simply be replacing one winger with another.

Barcola is a left winger by trade, but his game is shaped by a centre-forward's instincts.

Last season, he averaged 3.5 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1, placing him among the division's most active shooters despite operating from wide areas.

His 9.83 expected goals (xG) ranked in the 95th percentile among wingers across Europe's top five leagues, meaning only around 5% of wide players consistently found themselves in better goalscoring positions.

In addition, no PSG player or Ligue 1 winger recorded a higher xG total during the 2025-26 campaign.

He also averaged 8.69 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes - the seventh-highest figure among more than 1,500 eligible players - reinforcing the profile of a winger who consistently occupies goalscoring positions.

Read the full article here

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Liverpool's draw is complete - Andoni Iraola's side now know the eight sides they will be meeting in the Champions League's 36-club league phase.

The teams were seeded into four pots based on their results in Uefa competitions over the past five years, with pot one being the highest-ranked and pot four being the lowest-ranked.

Each club has been drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, but they can only play a maximum of two teams from one country and they cannot play against a team from their domestic league.

The Reds will face: Atletico Madrid (home), Inter Milan (away), Porto (home), Club Brugge (away), Villarreal (home), Fenerbahce (away), Lens (home), Lask (away).

The order of those fixtures will be announced by Uefa in due course.

League phase dates:

Matchday 1: 8-10 September 2026

Matchday 2: 13-14 October 2026

Matchday 3: 20-21 October 2026

Matchday 4: 3-4 November 2026

Matchday 5: 24-25 November 2026

Matchday 6: 8-9 December 2026

Matchday 7: 19-20 January 2027

Matchday 8: 27 January 2027

Knockout phase dates:

Knockout phase play-offs: 16-17 and 23-24 February 2027

Round of 16: 9-10 and 16-17 March 2027

Quarter-finals: 6-7 and 13-14 April 2027

Semi-finals: 27-28 April and 4-5 May 2027

Final: 5 June 2027, Madrid

See how the rest of the league phase draw panned out