Nottingham Forest faced a disappointing exit from the cup, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United in the fifth round. Meanwhile, Liverpool's young team secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Southampton, adding to their recent success in knockout competitions.
Nottingham Forest's journey to the last 16 of the FA Cup was a rocky one, needing extra time to overcome Blackpool in the third round and defeating Bristol City in the fourth round rematch.
Despite their efforts against Manchester United, Nuno Espirito Santo's side couldn't break through Andre Onana's solid goalkeeping, ultimately losing out on a place in the quarter-finals.
With their cup dreams dashed, Nottingham Forest can now focus solely on the Premier League relegation battle, following a damaging 4-2 loss to Aston Villa on February 27. Their league position has been further jeopardized by Everton's reduced points deduction, leaving them just four points above the relegation zone.
Although Forest has struggled defensively, they've shown promise in attack, scoring multiple goals in their last three Premier League matches. On the other hand, Liverpool has been riding high on the performances of their academy graduates, particularly evident in their recent EFL Cup final win over Chelsea and their triumph over Southampton.
Liverpool's young talents have impressed Jurgen Klopp, leading the team to five consecutive victories across all competitions. However, despite their strong league position, Liverpool faces a historical challenge away at Nottingham Forest, where they haven't won in their last 13 visits, including six Premier League trips to the City Ground.
As both teams prepare for this crucial encounter, the stage is set for an intriguing battle with potential implications for their respective league campaigns.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Following their return from the Africa Cup of Nations, Ibrahim Sangare, Ola Aina, and Willy Boly were sidelined due to injuries for the match against Man United, with no clear timeline set for their recovery.Additionally, on-loan Arsenal left-back Nuno Tavares is set to miss several weeks due to an injury sustained in February, while Chris Wood is not expected to return before the end of March due to a thigh issue.
In Wood's absence, Taiwo Awoniyi leads the attack, with Callum Hudson-Odoi likely to replace Divock Origi up front. Hudson-Odoi has been in good form recently, scoring three goals in his last four Premier League appearances.
As for Liverpool, Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Nunez have returned to training and should be available for selection this weekend. However, Mohamed Salah remains sidelined with a muscular issue, targeting a return against Manchester City on March 10.
Wataru Endo and Andrew Robertson missed training sessions due to a knock and illness respectively, while Ryan Gravenberch's ankle injury sustained in the EFL Cup final will keep him out for a bit longer.
Several players including Joel Matip, Ben Doak, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara, Diogo Jota, and Alisson Becker are confirmed to be unavailable. However, Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz, and Alexis Mac Allister are expected to return to the starting lineup.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:Sels; Williams, Niakhate, Murillo, Toffolo; Danilo, Dominguez; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Awoniyi
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Elliott, Gomez, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Danns, Diaz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Liverpool
Manager Jurgen Klopp's team might not have an easy time keeping out Nuno Espirito Santo's side, but they could take advantage of Nottingham Forest's defensive weaknesses, especially with the return of some experienced players to the lineup. This could be the moment Liverpool finally turns their fortunes around at the City Ground.
