Victor Munoz’s late goal ensured Liverpool avoided defeat in their Premier League home opener under new manager Andoni Iraola, as Nottingham Forest secured a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Saturday. The Basque coach, who was at risk of becoming the first Liverpool manager in the Premier League era to lose his first home game, saw his side twice come from behind to share the points with a Forest team that has now won two of its last three visits to Anfield.
Nottingham Forest took the lead twice through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White, threatening to extend Liverpool’s difficulties in their attempts to start the season strongly. Ndoye opened the scoring in the 24th minute after a long clearance from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels set up an attack finished with a 20-yard strike. Gibbs-White restored Forest’s advantage in the 70th minute by converting a penalty awarded after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson collided with Forest’s Neco Williams inside the box.
Liverpool responded on both occasions, with Alexander Isak equalising for the hosts on the hour mark, finishing from a precise cross by Cody Gakpo, who was closely watched by Liverpool’s new vice-chairman Amit Bhatia and principal owner John W Henry. Munoz then secured a dramatic late equaliser in the 82nd minute, firing home a powerful shot from inside the box after a pass from Florian Wirtz.
The match highlighted ongoing concerns for Liverpool, who appeared sluggish and struggled to deal with Forest’s dynamic attacking play. Forest’s Oliver Glasner, whose side had started the campaign with two wins over Leeds United, saw his team largely dominate midfield battles in the first half. Liverpool, meanwhile, created few clear chances and were fortunate to avoid going into halftime two goals behind thanks to several impressive saves from Alisson.
Liverpool’s recent £123 million signing, Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, was in attendance but did not have a significant impact during the match. Meanwhile, the defensive shortcomings that contributed to the team’s struggles last season were again evident, fueling questions over Liverpool’s transfer strategy, particularly regarding midfield protection.
New Forest signing Liam Delap, signed this week for an initial £45 million, came off the bench to help spark the visitors’ resurgence that led to the penalty goal. Forest’s standout performers included Ndoye, who scored his first Premier League goal since last season, and James McAtee, who demonstrated his growing influence in the team.
Iraola now faces pressure to address Liverpool’s vulnerabilities moving forward. While the team managed to salvage a point, they failed to gain the upper hand despite twice being behind and had to rely on a moment of brilliance from Munoz to avoid back-to-back initial home defeats in the Premier League era. The match also left looming questions about Liverpool’s squad depth and balance, as they prepare for a long campaign.