Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest: Isak 60, Munoz 82; Ndoye 24, Gibbs-White 70 pen
It will have to be a slow and steady process for Liverpool under Andoni Iraola. Narrowly escaping defeat against Newcastle in their first game, here at Anfield they also needed a late goal from Victor Munoz to snatch a draw against an impressive Nottingham Forest side.
With Liverpool trailing in the final 10 minutes, Florian Wirtz found Munoz with a pass just inside the box, Murillo trying and failing to cut it out. Munoz turned and then fired hard into the roof of the net, before running off to present himself in celebration to the Anfield faithful, who cheered in approval.
Liverpool had fallen behind after Dan Ndoye’s goal in the first half, a deserved lead for Forest, who were the more convincing side. Their willingness to play directly caused repeated problems for Liverpool, who must find a way to cover the large spaces they continually leave for the opponent.
Matz Sels’s long serve allowed Ndoye to run behind Liverpool’s defensive line twice inside the opening six minutes. The Switzerland international failed to capitalise on those early chances, but Forest continued to find openings.
Ola Aina and Ndoye combined to create a chance for Igor Jesus from close range before Ndoye headed wide from James McAtee’s cross. Igor Jesus had another attempt blocked with Morgan Gibbs-White available in front of goal as Liverpool struggled to contain the visitors’ movement.
Forest eventually made the pressure count after clearing a Liverpool corner. Sels sent a long ball towards Jesus, who held off Jeremy Jacquet and Alexis Mac Allister before finding Gibbs-White. The midfielder immediately moved the ball to Ndoye, whose low finish went beyond Alisson and into the far corner.
Liverpool thought they had responded almost immediately when Florian Wirtz turned sharply before firing past Sels, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review found Jeremie Frimpong offside in the build-up.
Wirtz went close again before half-time, heading towards goal from Cody Gakpo’s cross only for Sels to tip the ball over. At the other end, Liverpool were grateful to Alisson for keeping Forest’s advantage to one. Aina escaped Munoz and found Jesus in the penalty area, but the striker’s powerful effort was brilliantly pushed on to the crossbar and out by the goalkeeper.
Liverpool finally found their equaliser on the hour. Wirtz fed Gakpo, who escaped the attention of Neco Williams and Murillo before sending a low pass across goal. Alexander Isak arrived to finish from close range and register his first goal of the campaign.
But Liverpool were soon trailing again after Liam Delap took a quick throw-in to release Williams into the penalty area. The former Liverpool defender sent his shot wide but was then brought down by the onrushing Alisson.
Gibbs-White made no mistake from the spot and it seemed Iraola’s first home game would end in defeat, but Munoz had the last word.
