It’s clear what two changes Andoni Iraola must make to Liverpool’s XI after Nottingham Forest

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Liverpool are now winless after two games of the 2025/26 Premier League season after drawing 2-2 with Nottingham Forest.It was, to say the least, a mixed performance from the Reds, though a point was probably fair after 90 minutes of action.Still, it is clear there is much to improve on in the coming weeks, which new signings such as Bradley Barcola will help with.But after watching Saturday’s 2-2 draw, it seems obvious that changing Dominik Szoboszlai’s role and bringing Ryan Gravenberch back into the XI will help a lot. Andoni Iraola’s search for a first Premier League win goes on.

What positives are you taking from that display? 🤔 Credit: Liverpool FC/Getty Images Dominik Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s best right-back and Ryan Gravenberch needs to startBecause of constant injury issues last season, Szoboszlai never really played consistently in the pivot.But he has done so twice already in 2026/27, and to be honest, it feels like he’s kind of being wasted there.In an ideal world, he would be used as a roaming eight or as the 10, but unless Andoni Iraola drops Florian Witz, which he’s probably not going to, that seems unlikely.However, after he was moved to right-back in the 71st minute on Saturday, it was quickly apparent that Liverpool looked much more solid at the back and even going forward.Jeremie Frimpong was a brilliant right-wing-back in the Bundesliga, but unless the Reds change to a back-five, it just feels like he doesn’t really fit into this team.He struggles defensively and isn’t creating enough going forward to justify his shortcomings at the other end of the pitch like Trent Alexander-Arnold used to do.So, moving forward, Szoboszlai should once again be dropped into the right-back role until Conor Bradley is back.That would then open up a place in midfield for Gravenberch. The Dutchman lost his place in the XI this week to Alexis Mac Allister.

But the pivot of Szoboszlai and the Argentine didn’t really work.But again, after Iraola made changes and Gravenberch was brought on, Liverpool looked much better in the centre of the park.There will still be question marks over whether the Merseyside outfit need to sign a true defensive midfielder, of course.However, starting Szoboszlai instead of Frimpong, and Gravenberch in midfield, should make Liverpool a much more cohesive unit, if the final 20 minutes of the Forest game are anything to go by.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox