Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Picks and Prediction for Saturday August 29 2026

Liverpool hosts Nottingham Forest on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Anfield in Liverpool, England. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. ET (12:30 p.m. BST), with the match available on TNT Sports in the UK and U.S. coverage available through NBC/Peacock. This is Liverpool's first Premier League home match under Andoni Iraola after opening the campaign with a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.

Liverpool is a substantial favorite, with current prices around -200 (1/2) to win, the draw around +320 (16/5), and Nottingham Forest approximately +425 (17/4). The Reds are favored despite recent trouble against Forest, which has made this a much more interesting matchup than the moneyline initially suggests. Get in on the action all season long with our free soccer picks.

Liverpool Returns to Anfield Looking for Its First Win

Liverpool opened its Premier League season with a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United. The Reds had to find a stoppage-time equalizer to escape St. James' Park with a point, so Iraola's side enters Matchweek 2 still searching for its first league victory of the new campaign.

The good news is that Liverpool now returns to Anfield. The Reds should control significantly more possession here and have the attacking talent necessary to put Forest under sustained pressure. However, Liverpool's defensive performance at Newcastle provides some reason for caution when considering a large handicap.

There's also an unusual recent head-to-head angle. Nottingham Forest has won on its last two trips to Anfield, something Forest hadn't accomplished in consecutive visits since 1963. That history makes blindly laying a big number with Liverpool less attractive, even though the Reds remain the stronger team overall.

Nottingham Forest Has Proven It Can Trouble Liverpool

Nottingham Forest shouldn't arrive at Anfield intimidated. The recent history between these clubs is much more competitive than Liverpool's status as a heavy favorite might suggest. Forest's success on its previous two visits demonstrates that it has found ways to frustrate Liverpool in this particular matchup.

The challenge is repeating that performance against a Liverpool side desperate to get Iraola his first Premier League victory. Forest will likely be comfortable allowing Liverpool to have the majority of possession while looking for opportunities to attack quickly when the Reds commit numbers forward.

Forest's best path to another upset is keeping the match close into the second half. If Liverpool scores early and forces Forest to become more adventurous, the game could open considerably. If the visitors survive the opening pressure, however, this could become another uncomfortable afternoon for the Reds.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest Picks and Prediction

Pick: Liverpool Moneyline (-200)

Liverpool is expensive, but the moneyline is preferable to laying a large handicap. The Reds have the home-field advantage, superior overall attacking quality, and should be motivated after dropping two points in their opener. Forest's recent success at Anfield prevents this from being an automatic blowout prediction, but Liverpool should create enough chances over 90 minutes to finally break through. A 2-1 Liverpool victory looks like the most reasonable outcome.

Pick: Over 2.5 Goals

The Over 2.5 goals is the total pick. Liverpool's 2-2 opener showed both sides of the equation: the Reds have enough attacking quality to produce multiple goals, but they aren't yet convincing enough defensively to assume a clean sheet. Forest's recent record at Anfield also gives the visitors enough credibility to contribute. Liverpool winning 2-1 or 3-1 provides multiple paths to the over while still supporting the stronger home side.