Victor Munoz’s thumping, deflected equaliser rescued a point for Liverpool in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, on Andoni Iraola’s first Premier League game in charge at Anfield. Liverpool looked headed for defeat after Morgan Gibbs-White converted a contentious penalty with 20 minutes remaining, before Munoz’s intervention gave his new head coach something to cling to on an otherwise frustrating afternoon in front of the home crowd.
Still Searching for a First Win
The result means Iraola’s first win as Liverpool boss remains elusive, following a similarly frustrating 2-2 comeback draw at Newcastle the previous weekend. There will be hope that the seemingly imminent £120 million signing of Bradley Barcola can help kickstart the campaign.
How the Game Unfolded
Liverpool struggled to cope with Forest’s direct approach for much of the first half, with a long ball from Matz Sels playing a key role in the build-up to Dan Ndoye’s opener in the 24th minute, latching onto a pass via Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White. A Florian Wirtz effort was ruled out shortly after for a marginal offside in the build-up, before Cody Gakpo playing on the right flank despite ongoing transfer speculation set up a good headed chance for Wirtz that Sels did well to tip over.
Liverpool improved considerably after the break, with Alexander Isak tapping in from close range in the 60th minute after Gakpo delivered a low cross from the right. Forest regained the lead ten minutes later when Gibbs-White sent Alisson the wrong way from the penalty spot, awarded after the Liverpool goalkeeper brought down Neco Williams following a quick throw-in. But Liverpool weren’t finished substitute Victor Munoz, who had only just switched to the right flank after Gakpo was withdrawn, thumped home an equaliser off the underside of the crossbar in the 82nd minute, with a deflection off Murillo helping the ball beyond Sels following a Wirtz assist. Dominik Szoboszlai came agonisingly close to a winner in the closing minutes, but his free-kick drifted just past the post.
Was the Penalty the Right Call?
The decisive penalty award drew mixed opinions from pundits on Soccer Saturday. Mike Dean felt Alisson made slight contact with Williams as he came out to claim the ball, but noted that once given on the pitch, it wasn’t the kind of clear and obvious error that would typically be overturned by VAR. Clinton Morrison was more sympathetic to Liverpool’s case, suggesting it looked more like a shot going wide than a foul, with minimal genuine contact from the goalkeeper.
Notable Absence for Forest
Forest were without Omari Hutchinson, who wasn’t included in the matchday squad, with reports from Sky Italy this week suggesting AC Milan are exploring a move for the winger. Xaver Schlager started in midfield in place of Ibrahim Sangare, who wasn’t involved at all.
Iraola: “First Half Not Good Enough”
Speaking to TNT Sports afterward, Iraola was critical of his side’s opening 45 minutes, acknowledging his team were poor throughout, even conceding the marginal nature of the offside calls on both sides. He was pleased with a much-improved second-half intensity and threat, but felt it arrived too late to complete the turnaround, noting how conceding again just after levelling the game made the task considerably harder from that point on.
Will Liverpool Cash In on Gakpo?
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith noted that Cody Gakpo’s future remains genuinely uncertain, with interest from both Tottenham and Manchester City, and the expected arrival of Bradley Barcola only adding to speculation he could depart before the transfer deadline. Yet Gakpo has actually been one of Liverpool’s standout performers during a stuttering start to the season scoring at Newcastle last weekend and setting up Isak’s goal here with a well-placed cross after switching from his favoured left flank to the right without any noticeable drop in effectiveness. Smith suggested that versatility is exactly the trait Iraola values in his wide players, but warned that Gakpo’s strong early-season form could just as easily convince an admiring club to make a firm offer before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.
Glasner: “Proud of the Performance”
Forest boss Oliver Glasner took plenty of positives from the display, particularly in the first half, where he felt his side created a strong number of chances at a difficult venue. He praised his players’ response after conceding the equaliser, continuing to play forward and ultimately being rewarded with the penalty that restored their lead. While disappointed not to have taken all three points, Glasner said the overall performance offered plenty to build on, while acknowledging there remains work still to do.
Gibbs-White’s Remarkable Form
Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal continued a remarkable calendar year for the Forest midfielder only Bruno Fernandes (4 goals, 14 assists) has been directly involved in more Premier League goals in 2026 than Gibbs-White, whose 13 goals this year are the most of any player in the competition.
Match Stats: Liverpool 2-2 Nottm Forest
- Shots: Liverpool 13 — Forest 12
- Shots on target: Liverpool 4 — Forest 3
- Possession: Liverpool 69.6% — Forest 30.4%
- Successful passes: Liverpool 556 — Forest 192
- Corners won: Liverpool 3 — Forest 5
Quick Facts: Liverpool 2-2 Nottm Forest
- Scorers (Liverpool): Alexander Isak (60′), Victor Munoz (82′)
- Scorers (Forest): Dan Ndoye (24′), Morgan Gibbs-White (70′, pen)
- Iraola’s record at Liverpool: Still winless, 2 draws from first 2 Premier League games
- Forest absentee: Omari Hutchinson (AC Milan interest reported)
- Gibbs-White’s 2026 output: 13 goals, 4 assists most PL goals of any player this year
