English Premier
2026-02-22 - Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 22nd February 2026 - Kick Off 2pm
This game is live on TV
Nottingham Forest
One or two have criticised the decision to replace Sean Dyche with Vitor Pereira as manager of Nottingham Forest- while it may be fair to assess a club that have moved to a fourth manager, it feels harsh to criticise Pereira for the current plight of Wolves considering how well he managed them before they sold the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha last summer.
For his own part, Vitor Pereira will be confident he can work within this structure having managed under Evangelos Marinakis at Olympiacos, while his experience with the Premier League bottom third is key for 17th placed Nottingham Forest. Just 3 points separate The Tricky Trees from the relegation zone, but that may have been wiped out before this fixture kicks off on Sunday afternoon. The side have a 3-4-6 record at the City Ground in the top flight and that will need to be improved if Nottingham Forest are to avoid a painful relegation.
Nottingham Forest began life under the new manager about as well as could be expected following a convincing 0-3 win at Fenerbahce in the Europa League Knock Out Play Off Round First Leg. A strong team was selected for that tie and Nottingham Forest have lost 1 of the last 6 games in all competitions, but had not been winning enough matches. Nottingham Forest have not won any of the last 5 home Premier League games and have drawn 3 in a row here, including the very disappointing goalless draw with Wolves that cost Sean Dyche his job.
Matz Sels is injured, but looks to have lost his starting job anyway.
Liverpool
The Cup competitions represent the best chance of silverware for Arne Slot and Liverpool and they made comfortable progression into the FA Cup Fifth Round following a home win over Brighton. That result came days after a vital win at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League, which has seen Liverpool take advantage of slips from the teams above them.
On Tuesday night earlier this month, Chelsea and Manchester United failed to beat relegation threatened clubs, and so Liverpool's 0-1 win at Sunderland means they are just 3 points behind the top four places. They will be playing before Manchester United this weekend and Liverpool will be looking to improve the 5-3-5 away record in the top flight.
Liverpool have won 5 of the last 7 games in all competitions to build up some momentum, although both exceptions have ended in losses. The Reds had failed to win any of 3 away Premier League games before the battling, deserved victory over previously unbeaten home team Sunderland most recently.
Jeremie Frimpong will be pushing for a return next weekend, but this game comes too soon.
Head to Head
One of the big defeats suffered by Liverpool during the Autumn slump was the 0-3 home defeat by Nottingham Forest after the November international break.
Since returning to the top flight, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool have played 3 times and both have earned narrow wins over the other with the most recent meeting at the City Ground ending in a 1-1 draw.
Prediction
A few days ago when the Premier League prices had been put out, shortlisting Nottingham Forest with a full goal start on the Asian Handicap looked the ideal play.
Those prices have shortened significantly after the convincing win in Istanbul and Vitor Pereira does look capable of keeping Nottingham Forest in the top flight.
He had his team playing on the front foot, but that might suit Liverpool at the City Ground, while playing the Thursday-Sunday schedule has long proven difficult for clubs in England.
Nottingham Forest will have travelled back, while Liverpool were resting and preparing having last been in action on Saturday, but the recent match ups with this side have proven to be very tough for The Reds.
Arne Slot's team did battle for a 0-1 win at Sunderland in the last away game played, but there is a feeling that he is trying to make Liverpool tougher to beat and especially away from home. The Reds have now kept clean sheets in 3 of the last 4 away games in all competitions, but Nottingham Forest fans have to take encouragement from the exception in that run when Liverpool were beaten 3-2 at Bournemouth.
In the main, Liverpool's recent defensive numbers have been a bit more solid and that is how you have to expect they will approach this game.
At the same time, it would be a real surprise if Vitor Pereira is not asking his team to be a little more cautious with every point meaning a lot to Nottingham Forest and the prospects of avoiding relegation. Pressure could have been put on the team if West Ham United have won on Saturday night, but the manager will feel his team have one foot in the Europa League Last 16 and will have noted the recent resilience that they have produced.
There is every reason to believe that Vitor Pereira will want his team to show a bit more going forward than they did under Sean Dyche- his Wolves team last season were capable and Nottingham Forest have enough quality to replicate some of what Matheus Cunha was able to produce for the new manager.
However, he will also look to make sure they are stubborn at times and Vitor Pereira will take plenty from the way Nottingham Forest contained Fenerbahce on Thursday.
It would be a surprise if this is a fixture filled with a lot of chances and games between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool have been competitive since the former returned to the top flight. The last 3 at the City Ground have all finished with less than three goals shared out and Arne Slot's current bid to make his team tougher to beat could play into that angle with the under 2.5 market priced up bigger than expected.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool
