Nottingham Forest have the opportunity to make a real statement for themselves later today in their trip to Liverpool.
Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side may have shocked a few people already having made an unbeaten start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
The Reds already sit above the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea having earned five points from their opening three games.
However, their toughest task yet undoubtedly comes in their trip to Anfield on Saturday afternoon to face a Liverpool who’ve won all three of their games.
With Arne Slot’s side yet to even concede a goal, Forest will be requiring something special to take anything from the game on Merseyside.
With that being said, here is Nottingham Forest News‘ predicted XI for this afternoon…
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Ibrahim Sangare is an injury doubt
The international break has not proven kind to Forest with Nuno admitting Ibrahim Sangare is a doubt for the trip to Anfield.
“We have a doubt with Sangare and Boly and we know Danilo is out. We are assessing all of them. We have to wait a little bit to be 100 per cent sure,” Nuno said earlier this week.
No player in the Premier League has made more tackles than Sangare and with Danilo already sidelined through injury, it could be time for Ryan Yates to make his return to the XI.
Forest fans will know exactly what they will be getting from the ‘special‘ Yates but the Reds will be hoping for the Ivorian to come through his late fitness check with the all clear.
Willy Boly is also an injury doubt
With Nuno also providing an update on Willy Boly, the centre-back pairing of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic looks to be safe for another game.
Forest are yet to keep a clean sheet this season but they have been fairly steady at the back with only one goal conceded in each of their three games.
Of course, Saturday afternoon is going to provide them with a completely different challenge facing a Liverpool side who last beat Manchester United by three goals in front of their own fans.
“Boly has a calf injury. We are assessing all of them. We still have one more day then we will see,” Nuno said in his press conference.
Chris Wood is battling fatigue
Having played in the United States with New Zealand, Nuno is now guarding Chris Wood from suffering fatigue after a busy international break for the striker.
Wood has been the shining light of Forest’s season so far having scored two of the three goals scored in the league.
Chris Sutton has warned Liverpool of Wood’s impressive start to the season and he will be hoping to continue that on Saturday.
But it seems as if Nuno may also be making a late decision on whether it is worth the risk of potentially injuring the striker in a game which not many will have Forest down to take something from.
Predicted XI vs Liverpool: Sels; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Anderson, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
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