Nottinghamshire

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Sean Dyche has wiped the 39-day nightmare of Ange Postecoglou's reign at Nottingham Forest from the memory banks of those fans who celebrated ecstatically at Anfield.

This was the Forest who were in Champions League contention for so long last season under Nuno Espirito Santo, and eventually secured a place in the Europa League - uncompromising and physical, but also laced with real talent and attacking danger that makes them such a threat.

Dyche was typically animated on the sidelines, but he was also clearly delighted with what he was seeing in front of him as Forest overpowered Liverpool to such an extent that there was never any hint of one of the comebacks that is an Anfield trademark.

Forest had all the Dyche hallmarks of power and organisation, but it would do them and him a grave disservice to suggest this was not a defeat that also contained some real quality, as you need to win at Liverpool.

Murillo was a rock in defence, as well as scoring a goal, while Ibrahim Sangare ruled midfield as the touches of class were applied by Elliott Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Igor Jesus also gave Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate an uneasy afternoon; the closing stages played out in the sort of subdued atmosphere of resignation rarely seen inside Anfield in recent years.

Forest's league revival under Dyche continues after their win against Leeds United and draw with Manchester United.

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, speaking to BBC's Match of the Day: "We'd worked a lot with the players about what we can provide. After the Manchester City result, it gives them an edge. They came out of the blocks fast, and we had to defend well in the early parts of the game. You're not going to dominate the ball here, but we can in the shape.

"Great finish from Murillo, and the other goals were a great finish for different reasons. I don't know how the goal for Igor wasn't given, and then Omari goes close. Morgan with another great finish. He's playing with a smile on his face. It's great for the fans, and it's another step.

"Every manager has a style, and I have mine. I know what you need as a team. I will trust myself on that. They've shown an abundance of what we've been talking about over the last four weeks. It feels like four years."

Captain Morgan Gibbs-White, speaking to Premier League Productions: "I didn't expect it, but it's happened. I'm out there trying to help the team as much as possible. I thought the boys were brilliant today. Delighted we got the three points, but I hope we're out of the relegation zone.

"We felt comfortable even though we didn't have the ball. We were defensively secure, and that's credit to the boys and the manager. Delighted to get another goal, but we got a clean sheet and three points at Anfield, which is an incredible thing.

"They're still a great team with incredible individuals. When you're in a tough patch, we know it's hard to get out of it. We knew we'd have a chance, and it was about us being solid and taking our chance when we got it.

"When Sean Dyche came in, he made it clear the season starts now. He's been putting us to work, but we needed it to compete at the highest level. We've been running, running, running.

"Any game in the Premier League is difficult. We have to take it game by game."

Did you know?

• Nottingham Forest were only the fourth visiting side to win a Premier League game at Anfield by a margin of 3+ goals, after Chelsea in October 2005 (4-1), West Ham in August 2015 (3-0), and Man City in February 2021 (4-1).

• Nottingham Forest have won away to Liverpool in back-to-back league seasons for the first time since 1962-63/1963-64. They had only won one of their previous 30 league visits to Anfield before 2024-25.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

• What did you make of Liverpool's display?

• Have your say on Nottingham Forest's performance

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has made five changes to the side that were beaten 3-0 by Man City in their last Premier League game.

Alisson returns from injury to start in goal, while Milos Kerkez, Curtis Jones, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo start.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Isak, Gakpo

Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Gomez, Ekitike, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Ngumoha

Sean Dyche has decided not to make any changes to the Nottingham Forest side that beat Leeds 3-1 last time out.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Savona, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Dominguez, Ndoye, Igor Jesus

Subs: Victor, Morato, Hudson-Odoi, Kalimuendo, Hutchinson, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Boly

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Burnley v Chelsea (12:30)

• Bournemouth v West Ham

• Brighton v Brentford

• Fulham v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Crystal Palace

• Newcastle v Manchester City (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Man City", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

This is a hard one to call. Liverpool have lost seven of their past 10 matches, but could they be one of the teams who benefit from the international break?

Forest beat them at Anfield last season - I was there for Radio 5 Live - but that was under Nuno, and they are yet to win anywhere on the road in this campaign.

I don't see that changing this weekend, either. Sean Dyche has picked up some points at the City Ground since he took over as Forest boss at the end of October, but they are meek away from home and I don't see them keeping Liverpool out.

Liverpool have to click sooner or later, and if their attack gets going here then they could overpower my boyhood club.

Mo Salah needs to come to the fore for Arne Slot's side, and so does Alexander Isak.

For someone who forced his move to Liverpool through in the summer, Isak has done very little for his new club so far.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool will be eager to get back on track when they host struggling Nottingham Forest this weekend. BBC Sport explores some of the key themes surrounding this match.

The title holders have lost five of their past six top-flight games, which is more defeats than they suffered in the entirety of last season, and only bottom side Wolves have a worse record in that time.

It is the most losses a reigning champion has endured at this stage of a Premier League campaign since Leicester City in 2016-17 and only three reigning champions have amassed fewer points from their opening 11 games than the Reds.

The last team to win an English top-flight title after collecting 18 points or fewer from their first 11 games were Everton in 1986-87, which, given they are neighbours, could be considered a good omen for Arne Slot's side.

Not all bad news for Liverpool

But it is not all doom and gloom for the Merseysiders. They are firmly on course for a top-eight finish in the Champions League and Anfield remains a stronghold.

Liverpool have won four of their five outings on home soil this term, losing the other, and that sole defeat by rivals Manchester United last month, painful as it was, is their only home loss in 22 league matches.

While the title might appear out of sight – with eight points the gap between them and Arsenal – they are just four points adrift of Manchester City in second.

Slot has said feels five defeats "is too many" and the "last thing we should think about now is the title race", but if any side can put a series of wins together, it is the current champions. It just has to start now.

Trees find it tricky away

Nottingham Forest are yet to win away this season in any competition, with a return of four draws and four defeats from their eight visits to opposition grounds.

However, despite that form, Forest can take heart from the fact they were the only team to win at Anfield in the Premier League last season. Their 1-0 victory in September 2024 was also the only top-flight match in which Liverpool failed to score.

Is Forest's attack starting to click?

The results have certainly improved during Sean Dyche's short tenure so far - he has picked up two wins, two draws and suffered just one defeat in his first five games.

Some notable attacking numbers have also increased and they have scored more goals, averaged more shots and have a higher expected goals total under Dyche than either of his predecessors, despite having fewer touches in the opposition box.

Attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White is one of the players benefitting from the change of manager. "We had a bit of a chat with Morgan, nothing heavy," said Dyche in his pre-match press conference. "There was no breakthrough moment or anything like that – it was just about reminding him that he is a good player."

The 25-year-old has found the net in each of Forest's previous two Premier League games and he heads to Anfield vying to score in three successive league matches for the very first time.

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League will from next season move to a new system of Financial Fair Play (FFP) based on squad costs.

The clubs met in London on Friday to vote on three possible methods of replacing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) got 14 votes in favour and six against, which is the minimum number that is required to exact a rule change.

Overall squad costs from next season will have to be limited to 85% of a club's revenue, although teams competing in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's maximum of 70%.

Squad costs comprise player and manager wages, transfer fees and agents' fees.

Rules around sustainability, which set out a club's financial spending plans over the medium and long term, were passed unanimously.

Read more about the news and what it means here

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League has announced the start and end dates for the 2026-27 season.

The first round of fixtures will take place across the weekend of 22 August 2026 - a week later than previous seasons.

The later start allows rest time for players - 89 clear days from the end of this season, and 33 days from the 2026 World Cup final.

The Premier League said the delay was a "priority" for player welfare in an "increasingly congested global football calendar".

The final matches of the season will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, with all fixtures kicking off simultaneously as usual.

The season will end a week before the 2027 Champions League final, which will be on Saturday, 5 June.

There will be 33 weekend and five midweek fixtures - the same as the current season.

For the festive period, the Premier League have said no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours.

It has not been confirmed if there will be any fixtures on 24 December 2026.

However, as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the Premier League has said there will be more matches scheduled than this season, when there is only one.