FA Cup: Forest are Ready to Take on the Best

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

FA Cup fever is everywhere in Nottingham this week because there is a big name coming to town as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are on their way to take on Nottingham Forest.

The hosts’ head coach Steve Cooper has a growing reputation as a former England youth coach and he has big ambitions to take his club to the top-flight. Forest come into the match with back to back league wins over Reading and QPR, while Liverpool have won their last two away from home, including a crucial victory over Arsenal on Wednesday.

Back in the 1970s, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool were the top teams in Europe and, while they currently tread different paths, this fixture remains one of the English classics.  

Talking Points

The underdogs have plenty of bite

At 8.68 to win, Nottingham Forest will have to pull off one of the big FA Cup 2022 results of the 2021/22 tournament. But unbeaten in nine games and with a three-match winning run, the underdogs have plenty of confidence going into this huge game.

They reached the quarter-finals with a 2-1 home win over Championship rivals Huddersfield Town. The Terriers went ahead through Tom Lees early in the game after Forest’s Sam Surridge had already had a goal controversially ruled offside.

Surridge did get his goal on the half hour and Ryan Yates completed the comeback with a well-placed header before the break.  

Forest are currently eighth in the Championship League table but they have games in hand and are a good bet for a play-off place.

Cooper’s men were impressive in a 3-1 victory over QPR in midweek and this time they took hold of the game in the second half with goals from Djed Spence, Ryan Yates, and Brennan Johnson before Andre Gray scored a consolation for the Hoops.  

Centre-back Joe Worrall has been long admired by Premier League sides and there is speculation around that should Forest fail to secure promotion, teams like West Ham and Everton are keen on the player.

He will play a big part in this match with one of the best attacks in world football to keep at bay, but he will be without his experienced centre-back partner Steve Cook while former Bournemouth striker Lewis Grabban is also doubtful.

This second-tier side know they’re playing a top European side, but they also know the Reds rode Lady Luck to beat Atletico Madrid last week and they are not so far away in terms of ability, man for man. 

Liverpool at full strength 

At odds of 1.25, Liverpool are fully expected to win this tie. While Forest have some fine players, the extra one-per cent which the Premier League players have can usually make the difference.

If it doesn’t, Klopp has a deep squad to choose from and he’s likely to ring the changes for this tie.

The Reds come into the game on the back of a huge victory over in-form Arsenal, a result which takes them to within one point of Manchester City at the top of the league table.

After defending for much of the first half, goals from Portuguese striker Diogo Jota and Brazil star Roberto Firmino took the points.

Klopp is fighting on three fronts having already won the Carabao Cup, and he will shuffle his pack with only experienced midfielder James Milner missing from his huge pool of talent.    

The boss is likely to rest Mohamed Salah and there should be a place for Takumi Minamino, who has three goals in the competition, while Cup keeper Caoimhin Kelleher is likely to continue between the posts. 

The FA Cup 2022 betting odds back Klopp’s Reds as one of the favourites to win the 2022 trophy and Liverpool will not be taking this game lightly. So stars including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino are all in line for a start.

History

Liverpool have won four of the previous eight meetings with Nottingham Forest and drawn three, losing only once in all encounters since 1994, but they have not met since the turn of the century. 

Both teams come into the game in fine form. Liverpool have won five and lost one of their last six games, while Forest have won four and drawn two, and they have not lost to Liverpool in their last four meetings at the County Ground.

Betting Tip

The draw is priced at 5.41 with SBOTOP and that would be a great result for the hosts who will have a bigger chance to progress the longer the game goes on.

The Reds are in the middle of a pulsating battle for the Premier League title as well as mounting another Champions League campaign and they should have enough strength in depth to win this game. But Forest will have a passionate crowd behind them in a ground they have made a fortress, and they will take some knocking down.

 

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