Depending on your outlook as a Liverpool fan, you’ll either thoroughly enjoy or be very fearful over Paul Merson’s prediction for the Reds’ Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp’s team halted their five-game winless run in emphatic fashion last Monday, hammering Leeds 6-1 at Elland Road, while Steve Cooper’s men have collected only three points from their last 10 top-flight matches to drop into the relegation zone.
Although the Midlands club defeated the Merseysiders in the reverse fixture last October, the Sky Sports pundit expects some comprehensive revenge to be administered at Anfield.
In his weekend predictions for Sportskeeda, Merson has gone for a 4-0 home win, stating: “What scoreline do you want?
“This game is nearly a foregone conclusion, because Nottingham Forest are atrocious away from home. I love the Premier League because there are no easy games, but this is as close as it gets.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold is the best passer of the ball in England. He can spray the ball all over the pitch, and he can put it on a six-pence.
“He doesn’t play safe passes and will rip it up against lesser teams, but I don’t know if it’ll work against the big guns. His passing is second to none at Liverpool and I like what he’s trying – it’s very expansive.
“Diogo Jota chipped in with a very well-taken brace last week. Liverpool have suffered a lot of injuries, but all their players are coming back now.
“The way they pressed last week, Liverpool look like they’ve got the bit between their teeth again. I don’t see anything but a Liverpool victory in this fixture.”
On one level, predicting the Reds to win big against a team in the lower half comes with a health warning, given how four of the current bottom eight in the Premier League have been victorious against Klopp’s side this season.
Kopites will also be wary of what happened after the previous occasion they racked up a comprehensive victory, following up the 7-0 drubbing of Manchester United by failing to win any of their subsequent five games.
However, Liverpool have been largely reliable at home in 2022/23, with nine wins and just one defeat from 14 league matches at Anfield, Also, Forest have the worst away record in the top flight, picking up just six points on their travels (WhoScored).
Plus, as Merson points out, Klopp now has almost a full squad at his disposal following the return of Luis Diaz against Leeds, with Jota also ending his year-long goal drought at Elland Road on Monday and Trent excelling in his new inverted full-back role.
A 4-0 win on Saturday would be great, but all that matters for the Reds from hereon is picking up the three points by any means necessary.