Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest predictions: Reds and Jota set for big day

It’s a rare 3pm Saturday kick-off for Liverpool when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Anfield looking to continue their 100 per cent start to the season and life under new boss Arne Slot.

So far, they have played three, won three, scored seven and conceded none, so it’s going to be a tough afternoon for Forest, who are also unbeaten so far.

A 1-0 win at Southampton was sandwiched between 1-1 draws with Bournemouth and Wolves, meaning Forest currently sit 9th in the table with five points, which is two more than at this stage last season.

Liverpool went into the international break with a 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford and Slot must be thinking he has one of the easiest jobs in football.

But can the Reds keep up their hot start? If they can secure another win to nil, they will become only the fifth side in English top-flight history to win each of their opening four matches without conceding, after Aston Villa in 1900-01, Ipswich Town in 1974-75, Chelsea in 2005-06, and Manchester City in 2015-16.

Betting sites make the Merseysiders heavy favourites for the win with a victory to nil available at 6/5. Forest are as big as 12/1 in some places for their first win at Anfield since 1969.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will return to action for his club full of confidence after two man-of-the-match performances for England in the last week.

He returned to the national team playing in his more familiar right-back position and was in excellent form as Lee Carsley’s side won the matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland 2-0. As well as helping his side keep two clean sheets, he also set up Harry Kane’s opening goal on his 100th appearance.

Alexander-Arnold has started all three of Liverpool’s games so far but he is yet to finish one, which hasn’t always been a popular decision for the 25-year-old and does count against him when looking at player markets on betting apps.

He is yet to score or assist for the Reds, but he has hit the woodwork and we think he will go one better this weekend.

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest prediction 1: Trent Alexander-Arnold to score or assist - 29/20 William Hill

They say all good things come to an end and we know for Liverpool winning every game without conceding won’t last forever. Unfortunately for Forest, we don’t think that end will come this weekend.

Liverpool have only lost once in their last 24 Premier League matches that have immediately followed an international break (W18 D5), going down 4-1 at Manchester City in April 2023.

When playing at Anfield in the league straight after an international break, the Reds haven’t lost since September 2014 against Aston Villa (0-1).

They also have a great record against this weekend’s opponents, going unbeaten in their last 25 home league games against Nottingham Forest (W20 D5), winning the last six in a row.

The Red’s defence hasn’t been troubled too much this season with Alisson Becker making seven saves so far. And while Forest have registered more direct attacks (10) than any other side in the Premier League this season, they may not have enough to break through Liverpool’s rearguard.

Football betting sites aren’t offering a great price on a home win to nil, so we’ve taken a look at the correct score market instead with Liverpool 7/1 to win 3-0 for the second game running.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest prediction 2: Liverpool to win 3-0 - 7/1 Betfred

Diogo Jota scored the opening goal of the new season against Ipswich Town at Portman Road but he has had to watch on as Mo Salah and Luis Diaz stole all the headlines since then.

This game could be the perfect match for him to get back amongst the goals given he seems to like scoring against Forest.

So far, he has scored six goals in five appearances against them in all competitions, netting in all three of his games against them for Liverpool (4 goals). It’s his longest scoring run against a single opponent in his English club career and we’re backing him to make it at least seven in six outings.

It’s hard to look beyond Salah as well. He’s scored in every Liverpool game this season and was on target for Egypt in his 100th appearance on Tuesday.

Another goal on Saturday would become just the second player to score in each of Liverpool’s first four in a season in the competition, after Daniel Sturridge in 2013-14.

He could also be the third player to score in a manager’s first four matches in charge of a Premier League club, after Matt Le Tissier under Alan Ball (Southampton) and Fabrizio Ravanelli under Colin Todd (Derby County).

Salah is the favourite on established and new betting sites to score any time, and that pushes us towards recommending Jota, at slightly bigger odds, to score.

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest prediction 3: Diogo Jota to score anytime - 11/10 Bet365

If you’re planning to have a bet this weekend, it’s important to remember to gamble responsibly.

Always treat gambling as a form of entertainment, including when using free bets and betting offers. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, and never chase your losses.

The best betting sites offer punters tools to help you stay in control of your gambling, such as deposit limits, reality checks, profit and loss trackers and self-assessment questionnaires.

There are several charities and healthcare providers available should you wish to seek help for gambling-related issues. The providers below offer support and information:

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.