Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday, March 2nd as they travel to Nottingham Forest. The Reds are just one point clear of Manchester City at the top of the table and Forest are just above the relegation line. Liverpool need all three points from this fixture.
A New Challenge
Jürgen Klopp has been impressed with how the young players on the squad have stepped up after many household names have gone down due to injury. He adds that it has taken a total team effort to win in the Cup Competitions, but the Premier League presents a new challenge.
“I felt that, definitely, the joy, the pride, it's really different (seeing young players perform at a high level), Klopp said. “It's wonderful to see how the boys deal with the situation because that's a full squad achievement. I really wanted everybody to feel it and to understand it properly about the role they played in that whole story, and that was really cool. But two days later we play Nottingham Forest and now it's tomorrow already, so we have to find solutions. I said, it's a tricky time, a challenging time but somehow we could keep it very positive and that's what we have to do. But then the games are the most difficult moments, obviously, in that [and] there we have to be ready.”
Injury Update
Liverpool got some good news on the injury front. Klopp confirmed that Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai are in full training and could be selected for the team sheet vs Forest. Mohamed Salah was originally supposed to be out until after the next international break (March 26th) but the Egyptian King is recovering quicker than expected and could return sooner. All the other players have longer-term injuries. See the Injury list for complete details.
The Tricky Trees
Even though Nottingham Forest are near the bottom of the table, they are still capable of playing good football. Former Liverpool players Taiwo Awoniyi and Divock Origi are featured heavily in the squad, but it is the New Zealand striker Chris Wood who leads the way with nine goals. American Internation Matt Turner is the team's # 1 Goalkeeper and has been solid between the pipes all season. On the pitch, Nottingham Forest have played well against some top teams, suffering close one-goal losses to Manchester United and Arsenal. Still, they have struggled against teams lower on the table. Liverpool will surely get their best effort, particularly in front of their home crowd at The City Ground stadium.
LFC Globe Verdict
This should be a fun game, I'm interested to see how young players like Jayden Danns handle the pressures of the Premier League should they see field time. Will it change the dynamic if Núñez and Szoboszlai can play? Nottingham Forest can be tough to play on their home ground, so the Reds will have to fight for all three points, but I say they get it done with a 2-1 win.
Where To Watch
Kickoff is set for 15:00 GMT, but will not be broadcast in the UK. Supporters in the USA can stream the action on Peacock Premium Canadian viewers can do the same via fuboTV.
A full list of streaming options is available by visiting LFC Globe's Live Streams page.