Andoni Iraola’s first match in the Anfield dugout ended in a 2-2 stalemate against Nottingham Forest. The result marked the second time in two games under the new manager that Liverpool required a late intervention to secure a point, with Victor Munoz’s deflected strike ultimately salvaging the draw.
Nottingham Forest looked poised to secure their third consecutive victory at Anfield as they led twice through goals from Dan Ndoye and a Morgan Gibbs-White penalty. Liverpool’s defensive vulnerabilities were evident throughout the match, as a Forest side that had failed to score in their opening two games under Oliver Glasner consistently threatened the hosts.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 24th minute after a defensive lapse allowed Igor Jesus to break through; although he was dispossessed, the ball fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who set up Ndoye to finish into the far corner. Earlier, Jeremy Jacquet had made a crucial block to stop Jesus, while Alisson Becker produced a vital save to deny Ndoye a second goal just before the halftime whistle.
Liverpool briefly leveled the score on the hour mark when Cody Gakpo delivered an inch-perfect cross for Alexander Isak to tap home. However, the parity was short-lived. A quick throw-in from Forest’s new signing Liam Delap caught the Liverpool defense off guard, leading to a foul by Alisson on Neco Williams. Gibbs-White stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Iraola, who replaced the sacked Arne Slot, turned to his bench in search of an equalizer. The decision to keep Munoz on the pitch proved decisive, as the forward blasted a shot in off the crossbar following a precise through ball from Florian Wirtz. Wirtz, who had an earlier effort ruled out for offside against Jeremie Frimpong, continued to show flashes of quality despite struggling to fully dominate the midfield.
The match highlighted ongoing concerns regarding Liverpool’s £450 million investment in recent signings. Full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were substituted, while high-profile arrivals like Isak and Wirtz have yet to consistently deliver the expected impact. Meanwhile, the club is reportedly nearing a £106 million deal for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, a fee that could rise by an additional £17 million.
Barcola’s potential arrival has fueled speculation regarding the future of Cody Gakpo, who is currently attracting interest from Tottenham and Manchester City. Despite the transfer rumors, Gakpo has been one of Liverpool’s most effective attacking threats in the early stages of the season.
Iraola, who had hoped for a triumphant home debut, acknowledged the result as a stark reminder of the challenges he faces following the departure of Slot, who led the club to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title in 2024/25 before being dismissed after a fifth-place finish last season. Both Iraola and Glasner remain in search of their first league win as they look ahead to their next fixtures.
Liverpool will aim to integrate new talent when they travel to face Ipswich this coming Friday. The report also notes that the French winger has been one of the Reds’ top targets for months and a £106 million ($144 million) deal with Paris Saint-Germain that could rise by a further £17 million is reportedly close to completion. The report also notes that a record £450 million outlay on new signings 12 months ago continues to bear little return on investment as full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were subbed off, while Isak and Florian Wirtz again struggled to ma. The report also notes that jeremy Jacquet had to produce a brilliant last-ditch block to deny Igor Jesus and Ndoye headed narrowly wide before Forest took the lead on 24 minutes.
