Anfield has seen plenty of drama over the years, but Saturday’s Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest thriller added a fresh twist to the script. Twice behind, twice level, and still searching for their first win under new boss Andoni Iraola, the Reds needed a moment of magic from a player who had barely settled into his new home shirt. That moment arrived through Victor Munoz, and it kept Liverpool’s season alive for another week.
How the Match Unfolded
Nottingham Forest, freshly rebuilt under Oliver Glasner, arrived at Anfield with nothing to fear and every reason to believe. Dan Ndoye justified that confidence in the 24th minute, slotting home a composed opener that stunned the home crowd. Liverpool struggled to find rhythm in the opening 45, managing just a fraction of the created chances Forest racked up, and the frustration around the stadium was obvious.
The second half told a different story. Alexander Isak, still finding his feet at Anfield, drew Liverpool level in the 60th minute with a close-range finish that briefly settled the nerves.
That calm did not last. Morgan Gibbs-White restored Forest’s lead from the penalty spot after Alisson’s challenge on Neco Williams gave the referee an easy decision, and once again Liverpool were staring at defeat in front of their own fans.
Enter Victor Munoz. The summer signing had switched flanks only minutes earlier, and with eight minutes remaining he produced a clinical, deflected finish that ripped through the tension inside Anfield. The final whistle confirmed a 2-2 draw, Liverpool’s second successive scoreline of that exact kind after last weekend’s stalemate at Newcastle.
What It Means for Iraola
Two games into his Anfield tenure, Andoni Iraola is still chasing his first win as Liverpool manager, and the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore. Twice now his side has fallen behind and needed a late rescue act just to salvage a point. The performance had flashes of promise, particularly from Munoz and Isak, but the same defensive fragility that Forest exploited on the counter-attack has followed Liverpool from Newcastle to Anfield.
Post-match reaction was blunt. Iraola himself admitted his side were poor in the first half, while sections of the media pointed to a Liverpool team that looks fast and exciting in flashes but short of the structure needed to grind out results. With a reported nine-figure deal for Bradley Barcola edging closer, questions are already being asked about whether reinforcements are arriving in the right areas of the pitch.
Forest Leave Anfield with Their Heads Held High
For Nottingham Forest, this was another statement result at a ground where they remain unbeaten in three straight visits. Glasner’s counter-attacking setup, similar in spirit to his old Crystal Palace system, caused Liverpool problems all afternoon, and the away side will feel they deserved more than a draw given their chances created.
Looking Ahead
Liverpool now turn their attention to a trip to Ipswich, hunting for the win that has so far eluded Iraola. Forest, buoyed by their display, host Tottenham next as they look to build on a performance that suggested this rebuilt squad can compete anywhere in the league. If Saturday’s game proved anything, it is that the 2026-27 Premier League season is shaping up to be unpredictable from the very first weeks.
