Nottingham Forest have made an electric start to the new Premier League season, taking the lead at Anfield through Dan Ndoye's composed 24th-minute finish as Liverpool struggled to find any rhythm in the early stages of Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.

The goal came against the run of a play that had been almost entirely one-directional. Forest goalkeeper Mark Sels launched long down the middle, and Igor Jesus climbed to win the header roughly 25 yards from goal. The ball broke left to Ndoye, who opened his body and whipped a lovely, curling finish into the bottom right corner, leaving Alisson with absolutely no chance. Easy as that, and it had been building for some time.

Forest's Intensity Causes Liverpool Real Problems

The early xG figures told the story bluntly. By the time Ndoye struck, Forest were sitting at 0.77 while Liverpool had barely registered a touch in the opposition box. Nuno Espírito Santo's side arrived at Anfield with a clear pressing blueprint, and they executed it with real conviction.

McAtee was particularly dangerous on the right flank. In the 19th minute he spun into space and swung a cross to Ndoye, who muscled past Frimpong and guided a header inches wide of the far post. Alisson was not getting near it, and those in the away end sensed what was coming.

Aina was also a consistent threat down the right corridor. A long ball in the 12th minute found Ndoye at the back post, who headed infield for Igor Jesus, who was only denied a tap-in by a last-ditch block from Jacquet — a moment the travelling Forest support are still talking about.

Liverpool's New-Look Side Still Finding Its Feet

The home side do carry plenty of optimism into this campaign. Arne Slot has bolstered his squad significantly over the summer, with the line-up on the day featuring Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak alongside familiar faces such as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk. Reports circulating before kick-off also indicated the club are closing in on a £123 million deal for Bryan Barcola.

But the new arrivals have not yet clicked. Isak had one clear moment in the first quarter of an hour — a high-paced chase down the middle — only for Cunha to track him superbly and force the ball out for a goal kick. Mac Allister was below his best in the early stages, including a poor pass when Wirtz was ready to move into space on the right.

Szoboszlai showed flashes of quality — a cheeky nutmeg on Schlager, a fizzing corner that Sels was forced to parry — but Anfield, so noisy at the whistle, had grown noticeably quieter by the half-hour mark. The Forest end, naturally, was anything but.

The Bigger Picture

For Forest, this is a continuation of the momentum they have been building over the past couple of seasons. A positive result at Anfield on the opening day would represent an enormous statement of intent. The noises out of the City Ground this summer have been confident, and those 24 minutes at Anfield suggest that confidence is not misplaced.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will need to find a higher gear quickly if they are to haul themselves back into this one. The market will be watching the Barcola news closely, but what the squad needs right now is a performance on the pitch. There is still time — but Forest are making Arne Slot's men work very hard for it.

FAQs

Frequently asked

What time did Liverpool v Nottingham Forest kick off?
The match kicked off at 12.30pm BST on Saturday, 29 August 2026 at Anfield.
Who scored for Nottingham Forest against Liverpool?
Dan Ndoye opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest in the 24th minute, curling a composed finish into the bottom right corner after a quick break from goalkeeper Sels.
Who is playing in Liverpool's team this season?
Liverpool's starting line-up against Forest included summer signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak alongside established players such as Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, and Jeremie Frimpong.