Paul Merson says one team could make 'huge statement' as he gives Forest v Liverpool prediction

https://icdn.empireofthekop.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/paul-merson.jpg

Paul Merson has claimed that Liverpool could make 'a huge statement' in the Premier League title race if they were to beat Nottingham Forest tonight.

Two of the division's top three face off at the City Ground, with Arne Slot's team currently six points clear of their hosts and boasting a game in hand. However, the Garibaldi go into this fixture off the back of seven consecutive wins and five successive clean sheets, so the form guide is in their favour.

The Reds boss acknowledged that Nuno Espirito Santo's side are genuine contenders for the title this season, having inflicted the Merseysiders' only top-flight defeat of the campaign thus far when they met at Anfield four months ago.

What is Merson predicting for Nottingham Forest v Liverpool?

Merson has given his predictions for the midweek Premier League fixtures in his latest column for Sportskeeda, and he's claimed that a win for either team would be massive in terms of their respective aspirations for the season.

The Sky Sports pundit wrote: "If you were Liverpool at the start of the season, you would be looking at this fixture and thinking, 'Forest away on Tuesday after a cup game, that's alright'. But now you can't find a team more in form than Nottingham Forest!

"There's a lot riding on this game not just for Liverpool and Forest. For obvious reasons, Arsenal will be hoping Forest can win, while Manchester City and Chelsea will want Liverpool to get the three points.

"A win for Nottingham Forest and you would have to think they are finishing in the top four this season. They are a team bang in form, having won seven games on the trot now. If Liverpool end up securing the win, I would think that's the title won there! Beating the most in-form team from the chasing pack will send out a huge statement. When you do that, the others will be resigned to losing the title!"

Despite that latter claim, Merson believes that it'd be 'disrespectful' to go against Forest and has predicted a 1-1 draw at the City Ground.

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

A win could be season-defining for either team

It's a fixture where a definite result either way could be season-defining for whoever gets it. If Forest win and narrow the gap to three points, they'd be fully in the thick of a title race, buoyed by doing the double over Liverpool.

Conversely, if Slot's team were to avenge their Anfield defeat in September and go nine points clear with the same number of games played as Arsenal and one fewer than Nuno's side, it'd strike a hammer blow to the chasing pack and offer a massive psychological boost to the Merseysiders.

If Merson's prediction of a draw proves correct, it preserves a status quo with which neither team would be entirely dissatisfied. However, with the Reds already dropping points in three Premier League games since the start of December, they'll want to show that they're not experiencing a mid-season wobble after their poor performances and results against Manchester United and Tottenham over the past fortnight.

If Liverpool are to repeat last season's dramatic win at the City Ground, they'll have to do it without Darwin Nunez this time around, as the Uruguayan is suspended and therefore won't have the chance to repeat his heroics in this fixture from 10 months ago.

What chance one of his teammates stepping up in similar fashion tonight and potentially securing a monumental victory for LFC in the title race?

The post Paul Merson says one team could make ‘huge statement’ as he gives Forest v Liverpool prediction appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

img

Top 5 REDS

×