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Liverpool takes on Nottingham Forest later today with the chance to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table. But Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will not be an easy opponent, especially with an almost empty treatment room.
It has become an onrunning joke that Arne Slot is still tortured by his loss to Nottingham Forest earlier in the season, his only Premier League defeat to date, and his sole normal-time loss of 2024. But those dropped points actually look far more respectable in hindsight, with Espirito Santo masterminding an unlikely title challenge.
Even so, motivation could hardly be higher, with the chance to not only atone for that setback, but also to move nine points clear of Forest with a game in hand. Slot could effectively end talk of the underdog “doing a Leicester”, and will be optimistic of doing so, with key players like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk rested in the FA Cup at the weekend.
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Slot has proved adept at managing the fixture calendar so far. But he is not entirely without injury concerns heading into the game, as Joe Gomez remains sidelined.
The defender succumbed to injury just as Ibrahima Konate made his comeback, which was fortuitous timing. But there is a sense that things are a little stretched at the back, with Wataru Endo pressed into action there alongside Jarell Quansah in the cup in order to give the usual starters a break.
Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez misses out through suspension, having reached five yellow cards before the halfway mark of the campaign. But what about Nottingham Forest?
One thing we learned from that remarkable Leicester season is that luck with injuries is an important factor, and Nottingham Forest has been similarly fortunate. It is missing just one player for the clash with Liverpool.
Funnily enough, the player in question is Ibrahim Sangare, who was himself linked with Anfield at one point. Even he could be primed for a return, although he is being managed carefully after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ibrahim Sangare has been limited to three league appearances this season. -Credit:MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Assuming he is out, Forest will likely continue to rely on the trio of Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White. Espirito Santo could also call on Ryan Yates, or surprisingly peripheral summer loan signing James Ward-Prowse.
Slot pointed out in his press conference that Nottingham Forest has not exactly recruited lightly in recent years, which is no doubt a factor in this recent success. The strength in depth underscores that assessment.
But there is no denying that Espirito Santo is putting together an incredible campaign. Liverpool and Slot will just have to hope they can put a dent in the growing momentum.
Liverpool.com says: It would be wrong to take anything away from Nottingham Forest. It may have spent freely, and it may have been lucky with injuries so far, but those are only two ingredients in the complex recipe required to compete for the title.
Slot and Liverpool will be clear about the size of the test that faces them. This is not a fixture to take lightly, and the game needs to be approached much like a clash against Arsenal or Chelsea, with Espirito Santo’s team placed where they are on merit.
It’s nice that the game will be settled more or less on talent and tactical acumen, with both managers broadly free from injury worries. Both sides also rested players at the weekend, so this should be a high-quality encounter.