With the last of the 2025 international breaks out of the way, it’s full steam ahead for Liverpool between now and late March, with four uninterrupted months of fixtures to potentially define their season.
The Reds resume their Premier League campaign with a home clash against Nottingham Forest this afternoon, with both teams enduring disappointing starts to the season after surpassing all expectations in 2024/25.
Prior to his 50th top-flight fixture in England, Arne Slot has had to deal with two fresh injury setbacks since the end of the international window. The Dutchman confirmed on Friday that Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley are ruled out of today’s match, with the latter set to be sidelined for at least three weeks.
His opposite number Sean Dyche is also down a few bodies for the game at Anfield, and we now know the starting line-ups for the 3pm kick-off.
Liverpool starting XI to face Nottingham Forest
Slot has made five changes from the Liverpool starting XI which began the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in our last match.
Alisson Becker returns in goal for the first time since going off injured in the defeat to Galatasaray nearly two months ago, with the familiar centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate ahead of him.
Milos Kerkez replaces Andy Robertson at left-back, and it looks as though Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones will deputise on the right in the enforced absences of Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister continue in the midfield engine room, while Curtis Jones is set to start in the number 10 role. Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo are in the wide attacking berths, and Alexander Isak comes in at centre-forward for his first Liverpool appearance in exactly a month.
The substitutes’ bench offers a blend of youth and experience, with Andy Robertson, Federico Chiesa and Joe Gomez joined by the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Calvin Ramsay, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha.
You can view the Liverpool starting XI and substitutes below, via @LFC on X:
The Reds to take on Nottingham Forest at Anfield 👊🔴 #LIVNFO
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 22, 2025
Well this lineup is now going to grilled after the 3-0 home defeat by forest. Obvious culprits/scapegoats will be konate, kerkez, isak, Jones and even Macallister. Wirtz is lucky to escape this.
For me, I would have played Ekitike instead of isak. Isak is always going to be played as long as he is fit. His price tag is too high to be left on the bench. Ekitike will have the right to feel aggrieved. Gakpo is too predictable as always and Salah has been off form
Not sure why Robertson is not played ahead of kerkez.
Jones should have been the right back and not interchanging positions with Szoboslai.
Konate seems to be badly distracted by his contract renewal.
Macallister has also not been himself this season.