Liverpool fought back twice to avoid defeat against Nottingham Forest at Anfield, featuring a stunning goal from new recruit Víctor Muñoz in his home debut, as well as a season opener from Alexander Isak.
Forest took the lead in the 24th minute with a goal from Switzerland international Dan Ndoye, marking his first Premier League goal since last August against Brentford on the opening matchday of the previous season.
Liverpool believed they had equalized through Florian Wirtz in the 32nd minute, but the goal was ruled offside after a VAR review, leaving Liverpool trailing at halftime.
Isak, who faced challenges in his debut season with Liverpool, equalized in the 60th minute with a simple tap-in at the back post, after a brilliant setup and cross from Cody Gakpo, whose future continues to be the subject of transfer speculation.
Newly acquired Forest player Liam Delap made an immediate impact on his debut, setting up Neco Williams with a long throw into the box. Williams was subsequently fouled by Alisson, resulting in a penalty for Forest. Morgan Gibbs-White converted the penalty, sending Alisson the wrong way and putting Forest ahead 2-1.
However, Liverpool responded yet again. Muñoz, who joined from Osasuna this summer, fired in a powerful strike on his Anfield debut, finding the top corner and igniting the crowd.
In the final moments, neither team managed to secure a winning goal, resulting in a draw. For Forest’s head coach Oliver Glasner, this marked an important first point after two consecutive defeats against Leeds in the league and in the Carabao Cup. His team performed admirably in the intense atmosphere at Anfield.
For Liverpool’s manager Andoni Iraola, it was another draw, but he will find encouragement in Isak’s contribution and Muñoz’s standout performance. The team is also expected to further enhance their attacking options with the arrival of Paris Saint-Germain‘s Bradley Barcola, as reported by ESPN.
The match at Anfield provided plenty of excitement, and while both teams may regret not clinching all three points, there were positives for both Iraola and Glasner to build upon.