Liverpool face a club on their fourth manager of the season, with Nottingham Forest the opposition in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool
Premier League (27) | City Ground
February 22, 2026 | 2pm (GMT)
After more than a week without a match, Liverpool make the trip to the City Ground to face a Nottingham Forest side aiming to stay above the relegation zone.
Arne Slot‘s men, meanwhile, need to remain in touch with the Champions League qualification spots, which is currently two points ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
Liverpool injury latest: Joe Gomez ready to start & Alexander Isak return plan
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 30, 2025: Liverpool's Cody Gakpo celebrates with team-mate Joe Gomez (L) after scoring the second goal during the FA Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Liverpool FC at the London Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Joe Gomez has come off the bench across in each of the last two matches on return from injury, but Slot has declared the versatile defender is ready to start.
There is still the question of whether the head coach will utilise Gomez at right-back ahead of either Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones. Still, his starting availability is a welcome boost.
Liverpool will not welcome any players off the injury list for this fixture, but Slot did reveal he is hopeful Isak will return to the first-team squad in late March or early April.
Jeremie Frimpong is still sidelined for this match, while Wataru Endo has joined Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley on the list of long-term absentees.
Nottingham Forest onto their fourth manager of the season
Vitor Pereira Nottingham Forest (PA)
It might only be February, but Forest are onto their fourth manager of the season, with Vitor Pereira replacing Sean Dyche, who took over from Ange Postecoglou after he replaced Nuno Espirito Santo.
Forest are winless at home in the Premier League in their last five, but did notch a victory in Pereira’s first game in charge on Thursday evening, with a 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
The manner of the victory enabled Forest to withdraw Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson early with Liverpool in mind, which Slot would have been watching with interest.
Premier League race for top 5 finish
Premier League Table: The Top 6
Pos Club P GD Pts
1 Arsenal 27 +32 58
2 Manchester City 26 +30 53
3 Aston Villa 26 +10 50
4 Manchester United 26 +10 45
5 Chelsea 26 +17 44
6 Liverpool 26 +6 42
*Table accurate as of Friday, February 21, 2026.
Liverpool start the latest round of Premier League fixtures two points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea, a position which is expected to clinch Champions League qualification.
Liam Rosenior’s side host Burnley on Saturday, while fourth-placed Man United make the trip to Everton on Monday evening, underlining the need for the Reds to secure another win.
Slot’s side have one win, one draw and one defeat in their last three league away trips, and they will need to channel similar energy to what was on show in the 1-0 victory over Sunderland.
Predicted Liverpool XI
With a week between games and the same again after this fixture, Slot will not have to consider accumulative fatigue for the trip to Forest.
As such, he could start Gomez at right-back alongside an otherwise unchanged back four, while Ryan Gravenberch would return to the midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister.
Dominik Szoboszlai is then free to take up an advanced role as Hugo Ekitike replaces Cody Gakpo. A strong outfit capable of getting the job done.
Predicted LFC XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
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Forest playing with a “real identity”
Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, celebrates scoring his side's third goal during a Europa league play-off first leg soccer match between Fenerbahce and Nottingham Forest in Istanbul, Turkey, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
After Forest’s 3-0 win on Thursday, captain Gibbs-White notably spoke of his delight at playing with “a real identity” in the first game post-Dyche.
“I felt like we had a real identity out there today. I think we defended incredibly and with the ball as well,” Gibbs-White explained.
“We created so many chances, it could have been even more.”
It’s a warning for Liverpool about the ‘new manager bounce’, with Pereira showing a clear desire for his players to confidently express themselves but also defend as a unit.
Arne Slot defends ex-set-piece coach Aaron Briggs
Liverpool have had a notable upturn in their set-piece performances since Aaron Briggs departed in December, but Slot insisted the blame for the previous form could not be placed only on the 38-year-old:
“
“I’m happy that you asked that question because it would be very unfair to Aaron, who was only partly responsible for that, because in the end I’m responsible for everything.
“In the end it’s always my responsibility. But we were, in that period of time, so, so, so unlucky.
“We all knew that it couldn’t go on like that, because we hardly gave away a chance in set-pieces but every goal went in, and we created multiple opportunities to score and the ball didn’t go in.”
— Arne Slot on Aaron Briggs and Liverpool’s set-pieces
Rare back-to-back clean sheets possible for Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, December 3, 2025: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sunderland AFC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Incredibly, Liverpool are looking to keep back-to-back away clean sheets in the league for the first time since February 2025 – which they managed at Brentford and Bournemouth.
It would be the end of a long wait, with the trip to Sunderland the first away clean sheet in the Premier League since the win over West Ham in December.
Not to mention, a victory would mark only the second successive away league game win for the first time since September.
Referee: Anthony Taylor
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 4, 2025: Referee Anthony Taylor during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Anthony Taylor is in charge of this fixture, which is his fifth Liverpool game this season and the Reds have won only one of the previous four – let’s hope it’s not a bad omen!
Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn are his assistants, the former of whom was involved in Newcastle‘s FA Cup win over Aston Villa, which was riddled with errors in the absence of VAR.
Speaking of VAR, Paul Tierney is at the helm on Sunday.
Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool: Referee appointment
Referee Anthony Taylor
Assistants Gary Beswick & Adam Nunn
Fourth Official Dean Whitestone
VAR Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR Adrian Holmes
How to watch and follow Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 2, 2024: Nottingham Forest supporters before the FA Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Liverpool FC at the City Ground. Liverpool won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool will be live on Sky Sports Main Event in the UK, with coverage starting from 1pm (GMT).
If you fancy some biased and insightful commentary, then This Is Anfield liveblog is for you. Harry McMullen will be at the helm from 1.15pm, keeping you entertained and up to date.
Up the Reds!