Liverpool draw 2-2 with Nottingham Forest in Iraola Anfield debut
Victor Munoz scored an 82nd-minute equalizer from a Florian Wirtz cross as Liverpool recovered twice to take a point in their second match of the Premier League season.
Second consecutive draw for Iraola's side
Andoni Iraola oversaw his first match at Anfield as Liverpool manager on Saturday, ending in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest in the second round of the Premier League season. The result leaves Liverpool with two points from their opening two matches, having drawn 2-2 away at Newcastle United the previous weekend. Nottingham Forest arrived in Liverpool seeking their first points of the campaign after losing their league opener to Leeds United and dropping their first two competitive fixtures of the season. Manager Oliver Glasner fielded Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager for the full 90 minutes in midfield as Forest took the lead on two separate occasions during the contest.
Ndoye opens scoring before disallowed equalizer
Forest took the lead in the 24th minute when Swiss winger Dan Ndoye finished with the inside of his right foot past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. The move originated from a long clearance by Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, which Morgan Gibbs-White directed into Ndoye's path on a counterattack. The goal ended a scoring drought in the Premier League for Ndoye, who had not scored in the competition since his Forest debut against Brentford in the 2025/26 season, although he scored seven goals for Switzerland over the previous 12 months. Liverpool responded in the 32nd minute when Florian Wirtz put the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed after assistant referee review confirmed Jeremie Frimpong was offside. Sels maintained Forest's lead before halftime by saving a header from Wirtz in the 39th minute.
- Dan Ndoye scores for Nottingham Forest after Morgan Gibbs-White setup
- Florian Wirtz goal disallowed for Liverpool due to Jeremie Frimpong offside
- Matz Sels saves Florian Wirtz header
- Alexander Isak equalizes for Liverpool
- Morgan Gibbs-White converts penalty to restore Forest lead
- Victor Munoz scores second Liverpool equalizer
Second-half exchanges and Wirtz assists
Liverpool equalized in the 60th minute when Alexander Isak scored his first league goal of the contest following buildup play involving Wirtz. Ndoye was substituted off in the 66th minute, and Forest regained the advantage in the 70th minute when Gibbs-White converted a penalty kick following a foul in the box. Liverpool leveled the score for the second time in the 82nd minute when new signing Victor Munoz scored from a cross delivered by Wirtz. The performance from Wirtz came after the German international faced scrutiny earlier in the week regarding his display against Newcastle. Former Liverpool defender and television pundit Jamie Carragher questioned Wirtz's market valuation prior to Saturday's kickoff.
I do not think we are seeing a massive drop in performance. What we have seen for a year is probably what he is: a decent footballer.
Transfer reinforcements and standings
Carragher stated that Wirtz was not performing at the level of a £110 million player, estimating his market value between £50 million and £60 million, while calling the notion that players need a full year to adjust to the Premier League a myth. Following the second straight 2-2 draw, Liverpool manager Iraola expressed hope that the attack will receive a lift in the next round with the availability of French forward Bradley Barcola, signed from Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool ended the matchday with two points from two games, while Forest collected their first point of the Premier League season under Glasner.
