Premier League: Now Here’s a Thrilling Throwback to Yesteryear!

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest

There was a time when this was one of the blockbuster games in English football and, indeed, further afield.

This was a time long before the Premier League was in its infancy.

This was a time when one of the world’s greatest managers regularly got under the skin of those associated with the red half of Merseyside, both at home and in Europe.

For the late, great Brian Clough worked such miracles – as the title of the film explains – that the small provincial club from Nottingham were crowned champions of England, won the European Cup two years on the bounce and regularly reached Wembley where they added a number of League Cup triumphs to their name.

Those achievements ensured Clough will always be remembered as one of the greats, if not the greatest football manager who ever lived.

It’s unlikely modern day football will ever see the like again.

Yet for a period, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool was a must-watch encounter.

Talking Points

In many ways, it still is – just the situation is 2023 is a very different one.

For while they have had a few years in the top flight over the last 30 years – it was 1993 when Clough retired and Forest were relegated during the inaugural Premier League season – the Nottingham reds are now experiencing life at the top table for the first time in 23 years.

Desperate to stay there, their squad is actually unrecognisable from the one which manager Steve Cooper got promoted last summer.

In fact, an incredible 30 players arrived last summer and in the January transfer window combined.

Cooper has been reportedly under pressure at different stages of the campaign, but the decision of the club owners to back him is completely laudable, given the fine job the Welshman has done and that he has had to attempt to mould a completely new squad into a coherent team which gets results.

In fact, should they stay up this season, Forest could well be set to stay in the big time for the long-term, just as it was when Clough was upsetting the established big boys of English football on a regular basis.

First things first, however.

They travel to Anfield this Saturday in search of points in their bid to beat the drop after a run of 10 games without a win – stretching back to a success over Leeds in early February – which has seen them drop into the bottom three.

As they aim to prove the doubters wrong against hosts who hit six on Monday night, they will recall a memorable day in October when they produced one of the results of the season and famously despatched the Merseysiders among raucous celebrations at the City Ground.

A repeat performance and positive result would go a long way to helping them stay up and add another chapter to their Premier League highlights catalogue which have been all too rare over the past three decades.

History

Overall, Liverpool have won 57 of their meetings compared to 31 Forest successes. A further 29 games have been drawn.

Their very first meeting was in January 1895 in League Division One, which Liverpool won before Forest avenged that defeat in the FA Cup second round a month later.

Before their occasion to savour last October, when Taiwo Awoniyi netted the only goal and goalkeeper Dean Henderson played like a man possessed, they had not met in the league in April 1999 when the sides shared four goals.

On that occasion, Dougie Freedman and Pierre van Hooijdonk found the net – the Dutchman in the last minute – to cancel out goals from Jamie Redknapp and Michael Owen.

The last time they met at Anfield saw a 5-1 home win earlier that season when Owen scored four.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds are strongly in favour of the home side.

So much so that Liverpool can be backed 1X2 @ 1.23 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 1.90.

Forest are available 1X2 @ 10.00 and Asian Handicap +1.75 @ 2.00.

If Forest were to complete a memorable league double by the same scoreline – Correct Score 0-1 – you are in for a payday to enjoy @ 44.00.

Goal options include over 3.25 @ 2.08, total goal 0-1 @ 5.80, 2-3 @ 2.23 and 4-6 @ 2.40.

The 1X2 Draw will pay out @ 5.40 and Double Chance Forest or Draw @ 3.60.

Although Forest should not be anywhere like as open as Leeds were in their rout by the Merseysiders on Monday night, anything other a home win would be a massive shock.

 

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