Listless Liverpool held by Forest on coach Iraola’s Anfield debut

Andoni Iraola escaped defeat on his Anfield debut as Liverpool manager thanks to Victor Munoz’s strike that salvaged a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.

Forest were set to win at Anfield for the third consecutive season on Saturday as Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty twice put the visitors in front.

Alexander Isak briefly brought Liverpool level in the second half before Munoz’s deflected effort rescued a late point for the second time in Iraola’s two matches in charge.

“It’s quite clear the first half has been poor, we haven’t controlled the game,” said Iraola. “We improved a lot in the second half, much more intense, much quicker on the ball but not enough to win the game.”

Liverpool will hope to have Bradley Barcola to unleash by the time they are next in action at Ipswich on Friday.

The French winger has been one of the Reds’ top targets for months and a £106 million ($144 million) deal with Paris Saint-Germain, which could rise by a further £17 million, is reportedly close to completion.

Iraola said he was hoping for a special day to mark his first match in charge at the club’s iconic home, but instead got a reminder of why he was given the chance to replace the sacked Arne Slot.

The Dutchman led Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in the 2024/25 campaign but was dismissed after finishing fifth last season.

A record £450 million outlay on new signings 12 months ago continues to bear little return on investment as full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were subbed off, while Isak and Florian Wirtz again struggled to make the impact expected for enormous transfer fees.

And Liverpool remain brittle at the back as a Forest side that failed to score in their opening two games under Oliver Glasner created an abundance of chances.

“There are two emotions I think,” said Glasner. “Very proud of the performance and how we played, scoring two goals, but we all feel frustrated about the result because we have the feeling it could and should have been a win.”

Jeremy Jacquet had to produce a brilliant last-ditch block to deny Igor Jesus, and Ndoye headed narrowly wide before Forest took the lead on 24 minutes.

Liverpool were a shambles at the back as a long punt forward saw Jesus bear down on goal. He was eventually dispossessed, but Gibbs-White teed up Ndoye to find the far corner.

In keeping with his Liverpool career to date, Wirtz showed flashes of brilliance without stamping his authority on the game.

The German playmaker was denied an equaliser when his goal was ruled out for offside against Frimpong in the build-up.

At the other end a vital save from Alisson denied Ndoye a second in first-half stoppage time.

Barcola’s impending arrival could spell the end of Cody Gakpo’s time at Anfield with Tottenham and Manchester City interested in the Dutch international.

But Gakpo has been Liverpool’s most effective forward in the opening two games of the season.

His inch-perfect cross left Isak with a simple task of tapping home for the equaliser on the hour mark.

Yet just as the home side were beginning the build momentum, they were struck by a sucker punch.

Forest’s new signing Liam Delap’s quickly taken throw-in caught the Liverpool defence sleeping and Neco Williams was wiped out by Alisson as the goalkeeper raced off his line.

Gibbs-White coolly sent the Brazilian number one the wrong way from the penalty spot to restore Forest’s lead.

Iraola emptied his bench to find a response and the decision to sacrifice Gakpo instead of Munoz paid off.

Wirtz thread the eye of a needle with a through ball for the Spanish international, who blasted in off the crossbar for his first goal since joining from Osasuna.

Agencies