Nottm Forest vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest score and commentary updates after Taiwo Awoniyi goal

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool LIVE: Saturday’s Premier League action kicks off with the Reds travelling to Forest on the back of a 1-0 victory against West Ham during the week. Darwin Nunez gave them the victory at Anfield with a first half strike but his chaotic energy will be missing today. Steve Cooper’s side come into the match having earned a point away at Brighton with a goalless draw three days ago.

Liverpool are still recovering from a poor start to their Premier League campaign but have recorded back-to-back wins since losing 3-2 to Arsenal in early October having also defeated Manchester City 1-0 at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently seventh in the table but could jump ahead of fifth placed Manchester United if they collect all three points at the City Ground this afternoon.

Forest, meanwhile, continue to struggle. They have not won a league game since August and have collected just three points in that time thanks to draws with Everton, Aston Villa and, of course, Brighton. They are 19th in the table, three points from safety and are in desperate need of a positive result against Liverpool this afternoon. Can they shock Klopp’s men today?

Follow all the action from the City Ground as Nottingham Forest take on Liverpool in Saturday’s early kick off:

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

GOAL! 55’ – Awoniyi scores his third goal of the season to send Forest in front (NFO 1-0 LIV)

HT – Goalless at the break with neither side really clicking in the final third (NFO 0-0 LIV)

Liverpool seventh in table, Forest 20th

Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota out through injury with Darwin Nunez also missing

Nottingham Forest FC 1 – 0 Liverpool FC

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

13:56 , Michael Jones

70 mins: Save! Huge moment for Liverpool. Cheikhou Kouyate gets his head down and makes storming run down the pitch off the ball and Morgan Gibbs-White picks him out with a pass round the corner.

Kouyate takes the ball to the box and squares it over to Brennan Johnson who turns it at goal only for Alisson to dive low to his right and push the ball wide of the post.

Story continues

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

13:53 , Michael Jones

67 mins: Joe Worrall and Brennan Johnson are brought on by Steve Cooper for Nottingham Forest with Jesse Lingard and Taiwo Awoniyi the two men going off.

That also signals a tactical switch with three central defenders now on for the home side.

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

13:49 , Michael Jones

64 mins: The two changes for Liverpool see Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold come on to replace James Milner and Fabio Carvalho.

The visitors win another corner and this one is is curled in from Alexander-Arnold who finds Firmino. He nods the ball into the ground but it bounces up and heads over the crossbar.

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

13:47 , Michael Jones

61 mins: Jurgen Klopp is preparing a couple of changes on the sidelines as Fabio Carvalho wins a corner for the visitors. Robertson swings it into the box but Forest manage to work it clear.

There’s a frenetic energy to Liverpool’s play now. They need a goal and they need one quickly.

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

13:45 , Michael Jones

58 mins: Liverpool respond to going behind by winning a corner that Andy Robertson whips into the area. Van Dijk gets his head to the ball but knocks it backwards and Forest kick start a counter-attack.

Awoniyi is played in down the right side and he drives into the box before picking out Morgan Gibbs-White. He shoots but James Milner leaps in front of the ball and makes the block!

GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool (Awoniyi, 55′)⚽️

13:43 , Michael Jones

55 mins: There’s the breakthrough! Forest win a free kick after Joe Gomez dallies too long on the ball. The set piece comes over to the right wing where Steve Cook drifts into space.

He darts a pass into the area and Taiwo Awoniyi’s first effort hits the post but he recovers to send the rebound past Alisson!

Nottingham Forest take the lead!

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:39 , Michael Jones

54 mins: Liverpool win a free kick that Milner chips into the box. Serge Aurier drops early but can’t get to the ball and it drops to Mo Salah who tries to volley one at goal but gets in a tangle and misses the ball.

It bounces through to Carvalho who smokes an effort over the crossbar!

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:37 , Michael Jones

51 mins: Milner gets free down the right wing and floats a pass into the box where Salah, Firmino and Carvalho are waiting.

The ball drops onto the head of the deepest man, Carvalho, but he’s not fully aware of it and his last-minute is nodded over to Scott McKenna who boots it clear.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:34 , Michael Jones

48 mins: Kouyate feeds the ball over to Williams who bursts down the left side of the pitch after avoiding a slide from Harvey Elliott.

Williams darts inside then fizzes a shot at goal but Joe Gomez gets in front of it and makes the block.

Second half: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:32 , Michael Jones

Kick off: Liverpool get the match back underway and work the ball down the left side but the aerial ball is dealt with by Nottingham Forest.

No changes at half-time from either team.

HT Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:26 , Michael Jones

Liverpool controlled 73% of possession in that first half but Forest managed to create more shots on target (3). Jurgen Klopp will want more from his team in the second half.

They’ll think of this game as an opportunity missed if they don’t collect all three points.

HT Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:22 , Michael Jones

Which side will get the breakthrough at the City Ground?

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Half-time: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:17 , Michael Jones

45+1 mins: Nothing to separate the teams as they head into the break. Liverpool have dominated possession and created more chances but neither team has looked brilliant in the opposition’s final third.

Lots for more managers to think about during half-time.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:12 , Michael Jones

42 mins: Cheikhou Kouyate flies into a tackle on Harvey Elliott and swipes at the ball but misses it.

He doesn’t connect with Elliott either but his studs were up and he’d be lucky to avoid a red card if he had. In the end Liverpool are awarded a free kick in the middle of the park.

Just a few minutes to go until hlaf-time and Jurgen Klopp will be far from impressed with what he’s seeing out there.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:08 , Michael Jones

39 mins: Chance! Milner has a corner headed away but Liverpool recover the ball and give it back to him. He curls another cross into the six-yard box and picks out Virgil van Dijk.

For some mad reason Van Dijk decides not to fire his header at goal and tries to nod it down to Roberto Firmino who is slow off the mark and can’t reach the ball before it goes behind.

If Van Dijk goes for goal he scores that one!

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:05 , Michael Jones

36 mins: Mo Salah is back on his feet and looks okay to play on. It’ll be a huge problem for Jurgen Klopp if Salah gets injured too with Diaz, Jota and Nunez already out.

Firmino clips a pass into the penalty area to match Elliott’s run but the ball goes over the head of the Liverpool midfielder and bounces out of play.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:03 , Michael Jones

33 mins: Chance! Fabio Carvalho loses possession and Forest break up the pitch, giving it to Awoniyi who slides a pass across to Lingard. He fizzes a left-footed effort at goal but Alisson sees it early and manages to smother the shot.

At the other end of the pitch Mo Salah has gone down off the ball and looks to be in a fair bit of pain. Play goes on with Milner eventually fouled and winning Liverpool a free kick.

The Liverpool physios have come on to check over Salah.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

13:00 , Michael Jones

30 mins: Chance! Milner tries to find some space on the right side and dinks the ball over a defender to give it to Elliott. He brings it down well and manages to thread one through to Salah.

Salah runs along the front edge of the box and scuffs a low effort straight into the hands of Dean Henderson.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:58 , Michael Jones

27 mins: Gibbs-White flicks the ball over to Yates in midfield and he sends it across to Lingard on the right wing – he’s just switched sides. Lingard lays it off to Aurier who lifts a deep cross into the box but can’t find a team mate and Harvey Elliott manages to run it away.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:54 , Michael Jones

24 mins: Yates pushes Jones off the ball and feeds a pass over to Gibbs-White on the right. He looks to weave into the box but has three defenders to contend with and Fabio Carvalho nicks the ball off him to end the Forest attack.

The home side are showing a few more signs of life in Liverpool’s half now. They’re growing steadily into the game.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:51 , Michael Jones

21 mins: Liverpool win a corner that Andy Robertson curls into the box. He almost picks out the head of Virgil van Dijk but the big defender just jumps underneath the ball and it bounces through to safety.

It’s been an intriguing start to the game with Liverpool looking to find a bit of attacking momentum especially in the final third.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:50 , Michael Jones

18 mins: Milner and Firmino try to combine on the right wing but there’s a breakdown in communication and Milner’s backheel is too heavy for the forward to chase down.

Forest then burst up the pitch and work the ball into the box to Awoniyi who slides it across to the arriving Kouyate. He meets it with a first time shot from the front of the box but sends it straight at Alisson.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:46 , Michael Jones

15 mins: Forest look nervous when Mo Salah gets on the ball and they’re throwing men at him to close down the ball. Van Dijk floats a pass over to Elliott on the right and he’s chopped down by former Liverpool team mate Neco Williams.

There’s an opportunity to work the ball into the box from this set piece but Liverpool decide to play it quickly before a pass down the line goes out of play for a goal kick.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:43 , Michael Jones

12 mins: Joe Gomez tries to thread the ball through the eye of a needle and ends up giving it away to Ryan Yates who quickly passes it up to Jesse Lingard as Forest look to fly forward on the counter-attack.

Morgan Gibbs-White makes a run down the right wide and Lingard attempts to find him but ends up booting the ball over everyone and sending it out for a Liverpool throw in.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:40 , Michael Jones

9 mins: Save! Harvey Elliott drifts into the middle of the pitch and floats a diagonal ball into the penalty area where Fabio Carvalho sprints in behind and brings the ball down brilliantly with his first touch.

His second pokes the ball at goal but Dean Henderson cuts off the angle to the near post and keeps the ball out with his leg.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:36 , Michael Jones

6 mins: Liverpool clear their lines and boot the ball long down the right wing where Serge Aurier gets to the ball ahead of Salah and belts it out for a throw in with a no nonsense clearance.

The Reds continue to probe Forest’s defence out from the right wing but there’s no way into the box and they have to retreat.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:34 , Michael Jones

3 mins: Forest nick the ball off Salah and knock it into midfield where some lovely footwork from Cheikhou Kouyate sees him twist and turn his way past two attempted tackles.

He gives the ball to Morgan Gibbs-White who cuts in from the right wing and tries to slide a through ball into the box for Taiwo Awoniyi but Virgil van Dijk leans across the path of the ball and intercepts the pass.

Kick off: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Liverpool

12:32 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest get the ball rolling to kick off this Premier League game. They send the ball over to the left wing but it’s won by James Milner and Liverpool work the ball across the back line.

The visitors want to string together a few passes before working it through midfield and sending Milner forward on the right side. He passes up to Harvey Elliott who tries to find Mo Salah in the box but Forest intercept and clear the ball.

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

12:28 , Michael Jones

Here come the players.

The City Ground is in full voice as the two teams head out of the tunnel. James Milner captains the Liverpool side who are looking to take a big step closer to the top four today.

Forest want to record their second win of the season. Can they upset the Reds?

Steve Cooper admits Forest need to be ‘almost perfect’ to match Liverpool

12:24 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper knows his side will have to be perfect to stand any chance against Liverpool on Saturday.

The Reds visit the City Ground for the first time in the Premier League since 1999 and they are beginning to find some form after back-to-back wins over Manchester City and West Ham.

Forest on the other hand have not won in nine games and have lost six of those as they sit in the bottom three on their return to the top flight.

Despite Liverpool’s difficulties this season it would be one of the biggest shocks in recent years if Forest were able to beat Jurgen Klopp’s side and Cooper knows everything has to go right.

Steve Cooper admits Forest need to be ‘almost perfect’ to match Liverpool

Salah vs promoted sides

12:21 , Michael Jones

Mohamed Salah has scored in each of his last six away league starts against promoted opposition. Will he do so again today?

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A record for Awoniyi?

12:18 , Michael Jones

Taiwo Awoniyi – formerly of Liverpool – can become the first player to score in each of his first three Premier League home starts for Forest.

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Will Liverpool lose two away games in a row?

12:15 , Michael Jones

Liverpool are unbeaten in 16 Premier League away games against promoted sides since a 2-0 loss at Hull in February 2017. They’ve won 11 and drew five in that run.

But, the Reds are in danger of suffering consecutive Premier League away defeats for the first time since that loss to Hull and then Leicester.

Can Forest score against Liverpool?

12:11 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest have opened the scoring in each of their last three home games but failed to win any of them recording one draw and two defeats.

Forest are the only side in the Premier League this season yet to score from outside the penalty area.

‘It doesn’t represent what we are’: Pep Guardiola ‘so sorry’ about Man City fans’ chants at Liverpool

12:07 , Michael Jones

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has apologised for chants by the club’s fans referencing the Hillsborough and Heysel tragedies during last weekend’s stormy defeat at Liverpool.

The Catalan, who says he did not hear any offensive chanting himself, also believes City will learn lessons on and off the field from what occurred at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool expressed their disappointment at “vile” chanting from City fans, as well graffiti also referring to the two 1980s disasters, after the game.

Pep Guardiola ‘so sorry’ about Man City fans’ chants at Liverpool

The teams arrive

12:03 , Michael Jones

Here’s a few snaps of the players arriving at the City Ground ahead of today’s match. Kick off is just under 30 minutes away and the teams will head out for the warm ups soon.

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Klopp explains Nunez and Thiago absences

11:58 , Michael Jones

Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, spoke to BT Sport and address why Darwin Nunuz nor Thiago Alcantara have not been named in today’s matchday squad and whether the omissions were merely precautionary measures.

“No [it’s not precautionary], I wish I could do that.” said the Liverpool boss,

“For Darwin the game comes too early, he still feels the intensity of the game muscle-wise so there was no chance he could play today. Maybe he could play tomorrow or on Monday but not today.

“And Thiago got a bad ear infection overnight. The decision was made this morning at 5.15. That’s how it is sometimes and that’s the reason for that.”

Poor on the road

11:52 , Michael Jones

Liverpool have failed to win any of their four away league games this season (two draws, two defeats).

They have only twice had worse runs from the beginning of a Premier League season, going seven matches without victory in both 1992/93 and 2006/07.

Jurgen Klopp explains how formation switch has freshened up Liverpool

11:47 , Michael Jones

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he had to tweak their system in order to improve results as he felt familiarity with his methods had dulled the players’ focus.

The German switched from his tried-and-trusted 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 after a number of inconsistent performances – especially defensively – and the change has brought four victories in five matches.

Klopp has spoken recently of wanting his side to be more unpredictable in the final third but the departure from his previously-successful formula had more to do with instilling more defensive solidity.

Jurgen Klopp explains how formation switch has freshened up Liverpool

A terrible start

11:42 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest have equalled their worst record after 11 games of a top-flight season, set in 1992. They beat Middlesbrough in their 12th match.

Forest are winless in nine Premier League fixtures, the longest current run in the division with three draws and six defeats.

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool team changes

11:37 , Michael Jones

Steve Cooper makes two changes to the Nottingham Forest team with Cheikhou Kouyate coming into midfield to replace Orel Mangala whilst Taiwo Awoniyi leads the line with Brennan Johnson dropping to the bench.

Jurgen Klopp meanwhile swaps out five players from the team that faced West Ham in midweek. James Milner and Andy Robertson return to the back line with a new looking midfield of Fabinho, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott. Darwin Nunez drops out of the squad entirely.

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool line-ups

11:30 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest XI: Henderson, Aurier, Cook, McKenna, Williams, Yates, Freular, Kouyate, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi, Lingard

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Milner, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Jones, Elliott, Salah, Firmino, Carvalho

Premier League standings

11:29 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest come into the game sitting bottom of the Premier League with just one win from 11 games. They’ve drawn three including two of their last three matches but have lost seven and look to be up against it today when they take on Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp’s men sit seventh and if they earn all three points at the City Ground they will temporarily jump above Manchester United into fifth and will be just one point behind fourth placed Chelsea.

Chelsea host United in today’s late kick off at 5.30pm.

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

11:24 , Michael Jones

Liverpool have won half of the previous 100 league meetings between these sides but Forest are unbeaten in 12 top-flight home games in this fixture since a 2-0 defeat on 28th October 1984.

There has not been an away victory in any of the 10 Premier League matches between these teams but Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground in last season’s FA Cup quarter-finals through a goal by Diogo Jota.

Last time out

11:19 , Michael Jones

Nottingham Forest picked up a needed point when they faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium during the week with goalkeeper Dean Henderson is fine form to keep the Seagulls from scoring.

Forest offered little in the way of attacking threats and only recorded three attempts on goal but they denied Brighton and saw out a goalless draw to stay within one win of safety in the Premier League table.

Over at Anfield Darwin Nunez was the hero as he found the back of the net midway through the first half to give the Reds the advantage in a testing encounter against West Ham. Nunez himself had six attempts at goal – out of Liverpool’s tally of 22 – but the home side were not able to extend their lead.

That led to a nervous finish with West Ham pushing for an equaliser but Liverpool kept a second clean sheet in as many games and are now back in the race to get into the top four.

Liverpool show they can win ugly in edgy victory over West Ham

11:15 , Michael Jones

This was not Liverpool’s most important win of their season so far. That was on Sunday against Manchester City. It was far from their most convincing, either, or their finest performance. At the final whistle, it was a stretch to even say that they had played well. West Ham left believing they deserved at least a point or more and they were right. On another evening, they may have taken all three.

If you wanted to be picky, there was enough here to suggest that Sunday’s potentially transformative result will not transform their season at all. At least not immediately. Familiar defensive frailties – particularly in the second half – meant that David Moyes’s visitors came away from Anfield with a higher xG tally than their hosts.

Part of that was down to Jarrod Bowen’s penalty – conceded by Joe Gomez, saved by Alisson – but it was also down to anxious final quarter-of-an-hour when counter-attacks kept coming and an equaliser felt increasingly likely.

Liverpool show they can win ugly in edgy victory over West Ham

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool early team news and predicted line-ups

11:10 , Michael Jones

For Nottingham Forest Jack Colback, Moussa Niakhate, Omar Richards and Harry Toffolo are all expected to be out with injury. But in better news Renan Lodi could return following an ankle issue.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will not have Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Arthur, Naby Keita, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate, while Darwin Nunez is now an injury doubt after feeling his hamstring before coming off against West Ham.

Predicted line-ups

Nottingham Forest: Henderson; Williams, Cook, McKenna, Lodi; Mangala, Yates, Freuler; Gibbs-White, Dennis, Johnson

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago, Carvalho; Salah, Firmino

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

11:06 , Michael Jones

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of today’s Premier League action.

First up Liverpool take the trip down to the midlands as they face Nottingham Forest. The Reds are hoping to continue a good run of form which has seen them record victories against Rangers in the Champions League then Manchester City and West Ham in the Premier League. However, Jurgen Klopp has to shuffle his pack and deal with another injury crisis especially in the forward areas with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota injured and Darwin Nunez a doubt for the game.

Forest, meanwhile, are hoping to get themselves off the bottom of the table. They won just once in the league this season but two draws from their last three games will give them some encouragement. Liverpool are always difficult opponents but if Steve Cooper’s side can take advantage this afternoon it may kick his team’s season into gear.

Kick off for this one is at 12.30pm.