Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest preview, kick-off time and team news

Nottingham Forest will usher in a fresh chapter on Sunday when Vitor Pereira takes charge of his first Premier League home match at the City Ground, welcoming a Liverpool side intent on tightening their grip on a Champions League place.

Kick-off is set for 2 pm GMT on 22 February 2026, with Sky Sports Main Event providing live coverage from 1 pm. Viewers can also stream the contest via the Sky Go app, while extended highlights and analysis will be available across the broadcaster’s digital channels.

Forest enter the weekend 16th in the table, only three points clear of the relegation zone, but spirits have been lifted by Thursday’s commanding 3-0 Europa League defeat of Fenerbahce. Pereira, who replaced Sean Dyche earlier this month, is expected to utilise his squad depth after that European exertion, though he will be without Willy Boly, Matz Sels, Chris Wood and John Victor through injury. Nicolo Savona faces a late fitness test on a knee complaint, while Murillo has been declared available having shaken off a knock to score in Istanbul.

Liverpool arrive in the East Midlands on the back of consecutive victories, the most recent a 3-0 FA Cup dismissal of Brighton that left Arne Slot with no new injury worries. Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike are pressing for recalls after beginning that tie on the bench, yet the visitors remain without Conor Bradley, Wataru Endo and Giovanni Leoni. At right-back, Slot must again weigh his options with Jeremie Frimpong still hamstrung, leaving Joe Gomez in pole position to start.

Forest are likely to set a ferocious early tempo in front of a buoyant home crowd, yet Liverpool’s superior ball retention and clinical edge in attack should tilt the balance if they negotiate the opening flurry. Should Slot’s men weather the storm, another away triumph would edge them ever closer to the top-four prize.

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