Liverpool F.C. Were held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest in an entertaining Premier League clash at Anfield. The result leaves new manager Andoni Iraola without a win from his first two league games in charge.
Andoni Iraola's side now sit 13th in the Premier League with two points from two matches, having scored and conceded four goals. They are already four points behind early leaders Manchester City.
The game began with a timid first half but exploded into life after the break. Dan Ndoye gave Liverpool the lead, but the advantage was short-lived. Morgan Gibbs-White converted a penalty for Nottingham Forest to level the score. Alexander Isak then put Liverpool back in front with an equalizer, before Victor Muñoz marked his Anfield debut with a goal to make it 2-2. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson had a mixed afternoon, making a brilliant first-half save but also giving away the penalty that led to Forest's first goal.
Several individual performances shaped the contest. For Liverpool, Victor Muñoz was energetic and scored on his home debut. Cody Gakpo had a strong game and created a chance for Isak. Dominik Szoboszlai provided a key free-kick and a cross for Isak's goal, while Florian Wirtz improved as the game went on and supplied the pass for Muñoz's strike. In defense, Jérémy Jacquet made some solid blocks. However, Jeremie Frimpong was caught out of position, leading to a disallowed goal for Wirtz, and Iraola's decision to delay substituting him later contributed to Neco Williams winning a penalty for Forest.
The midfield lacked a commanding presence, a issue highlighted by Alexis Mac Allister's first start of the season which had little impact. Virgil van Dijk was tidy in possession but the defensive unit as a whole felt disjointed at times. On the left flank, Milos Kerkez struggled to link up effectively with Victor Muñoz. These collective issues meant Liverpool could not control the game despite taking the lead twice.
Andoni Iraola was clearly frustrated with the outcome. "The new Liverpool manager will be disappointed to be winless after his first 2 games and definitely frustrated not to walk away with 3 points on his Anfield debut," he said after the match. The draw extends a difficult start, with Liverpool having lost their two previous matches before this game, while Forest arrived at Anfield on the back of two consecutive wins. The current league standings show the tight early-season picture.
Liverpool must now regroup quickly ahead of their visit to Portman Road to face 12th-placed Ipswich on September 4th.
