Nottingham Forest held their nerve at Anfield, refusing to surrender their advantage on two separate occasions.
The Tricky Trees took the lead twice against Liverpool on Saturday before settling for a 2-2 draw in an absorbing Premier League Matchweek 2 encounter.
Super Eagles wing-back Ola Aina played a central role in Forest’s performance, earning a 7/10 rating after helping silence the home crowd for long periods.
Oliver Glasner deployed Forest in an adventurous 3-4-2-1 formation, with Aina operating on the right flank and Cunha, Milenković and Murillo forming the defensive line. Gibbs-White and Ndoye were positioned further forward, tasked with disrupting Liverpool’s back four. That approach paid off after 25 minutes.
Gibbs-White threaded a precise ball into space, allowing Dan Ndoye to break through and beat Alisson. The goal stunned Anfield and put Forest 1-0 ahead. Liverpool appeared to have restored parity eight minutes later when Florian Wirtz found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR check. Forest therefore reached half-time in front, although Igor Jesus was booked in the 44th minute.
The contest opened up after the interval. On the hour, Cody Gakpo moved infield before delivering a cross towards the far post, where Alexander Isak arrived to make it 1-1. The Kop sensed that Liverpool had begun their recovery.
Aina had already been placed under pressure in the 50th minute, receiving a yellow card for a heavy challenge on Víctor Muñoz. Another mistimed intervention could have brought a second caution and an early dismissal.
Rather than allowing the incident to affect him, the Nigerian responded with a disciplined display. His positioning improved, while Forest’s right flank remained organised as Liverpool increased the pressure. Muñoz and Wirtz were also cautioned as the hosts’ frustration became increasingly evident.
Forest remained defiant and regained the lead once more, only for Víctor Muñoz to bring Liverpool level late in the match and complete the 2-2 scoreline.
For Aina, the evening represented a determined performance in demanding circumstances. He was booked, repeatedly tested and nevertheless remained composed until the end. Securing a point at Anfield offered Forest both a valuable result and evidence of their resilience.
