Ekitike and Gravenberch back for Liverpool as Reds eye top five
Liverpool have only won once away at Nottingham Forest in more than four decades but there is an incentive to get three points today. It would take them level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United.
Arne Slot brings back Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch. With Curtis Jones dropping out, along with Federico Chiesa, it presumably means Dominik Szoboszlai will be back at right-back.
Nottingham Forest are unchanged, less than three days after playing in Istanbul. It would indicate that Vitor Pereira has a favoured team, but runs the risk of fatigue. This is Pereira’s first home game in charge; in Sean Dyche’s last, Forest had 35 shots but did not score.

Richard Jolly 22 February 2026 12:58
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool team news and confirmed line-ups
Nottingham Forest XI: Ortega; Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams; Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White; Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus, Hutchinson
Subs: Gunn, Morato, Ndoye, Domginuez, Lucca, Yates, Jair Cunha, McAtee, Bakwa
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvilli, Gomez, Chiesa, Jones, Robertson, Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison, Ngumoha
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:47
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool team news and line-ups
Will be confirmed from the City Ground in the next few minutes…
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:40
Liverpool handed Alexander Isak boost
Alexander Isak is back in training for Liverpool with Arne Slot believing the £125m forward will be fit to play around the end of March or start of April.
The British record signing has been out since December with a broken leg he suffered while scoring just his third Liverpool goal in the victory at Tottenham but Slot feels Liverpool can still see the best of Isak this season.
Now, after undergoing ankle surgery, he is on the comeback trail, while in a race against time to be available for Sweden’s World Cup play-off against Ukraine on 26 March.
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:35
Vitor Pereira enjoys dream start as Forest ease to first-leg win at Fenerbahce
Vitor Pereira enjoyed a dream start to his Nottingham Forest reign as his new side put one foot in the last 16 of the Europa League with a 3-0 romp at Fenerbahce.
Pereira was taking charge of Forest for the first time after he became their fourth manager of a chaotic season and it could not have gone better as they took a decisive lead in the play-off round first leg in Istanbul.
Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White made it a memorable night for Forest as life after Sean Dyche began in freescoring fashion.

Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:20
Van Dijk backs Szoboszlai to make ‘next step’ towards inheriting Liverpool captaincy
Virgil van Dijk believes midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has all the qualities to one day succeed him as Liverpool captain having led by example this season.
Szoboszlai has been the team’s most consistent performer in a so-far underwhelming campaign of ups and downs despite being asked to play a number of different roles, most significantly standing in at right-back.
The 25-year-old, hailed by Mohamed Salah last weekend as “one of the best players in the world right now”, reached 10 goals for the season against Brighton and has already surpassed his best return for the club.
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:00
Why Vitor Pereira’s mission at Nottingham Forest goes beyond avoiding relegation
Pereira has arrived as Forest’s fourth manager of the season with the primary objective of avoiding the drop – but as shown by Sean Dyche’s sacking, that is not all that is expected of his reign.
Richard Jolly22 February 2026 11:40
How the aura of Klopp has left Slot trapped in a new Liverpool reality
Arne Slot has fielded questions surrounding his German predecessor, who remains hugely popular at Anfield, while some supporters covet a reunion with Xabi Alonso, despite his failure at Real Madrid.
Richard Jolly 22 February 2026 11:20
Liverpool’s early team news
Jeremie Frimpong could return for next weekend’s visit of West Ham while Alexander Isak could be back by the end of March, but Joe Gomez is fit to start.
Possible line-up: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:05
Nottingham Forest early team news
Forest have no new injury problems after the win in Turkey this week. Willy Boly, Chris Wood, John Victor, Matz Sels and Nicolo Savona all remain out.
Possible line-up: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.
Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:02