Nottingham Forest – Liverpool: Slot’s Super Double-Substitution Shares The Spoils (1-1)

Nottingham Forest and Liverpool shared the spoils in this top of the table clash. Nuno's side defended resolutely and deserved a point whilst Slot's substitutions continue to positively impact Liverpool's results.

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy.

At the start of the 2024/25 Premier League season, there wouldn’t have been many that foresaw a mid-January fixture between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool being described as a ‘top of the table’ clash. But a victory for the hosts at the City Ground would close the gap to the league leaders to just three points. 

Nuno Espírito Santo has rightly been awarded many plaudits this season, including winning manager of the month in both October and December. The narrative following his side’s win at Anfield back in September revolved more around Arne Slot’s first defeat as Liverpool manager as opposed to any prophecy of Forest’s future fortunes. However, ahead of this reverse fixture, a retrospective Slot concluded: “Now looking back at it and seeing where they are in the league, it's not been as such a shock result as I thought it was back then.”

Going into this game, Forest have won seven games on the trot. After heavily rotating his team for their FA Cup victory over Luton Town, Nuno recalled ten of his regular starters. Matz Sels played behind a back four of Ola Aina, Nikola Milenković, Murillo and Neco Williams. In central midfield, Ryan Yates partnered Elliot Anderson, and they supported the attacking quartet of Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Chris Wood.

As for . . .

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