Liverpool v Nottingham Forest: Key stats and talking points

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. [BBC] 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. [BBC] 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.