Liverpool line-ups for Nottingham Forest as Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai decisions made
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Liverpool Lineups vs Nottingham Forest: Key Decisions on Wirtz, Szoboszlai, and More
Liverpool head to the City Ground on Sunday, February 22, 2026 (2 p.m. GMT), to face relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, seeking revenge after a humiliating 3-0 home defeat in November that derailed their title defense.[1][4] Arne Slot, yet to beat Forest under their third manager Vitor Pereira, is boosted by recent form—five wins in seven across competitions—despite injuries.[1]
Liverpool Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| GK: Alisson | Retains spot after clean sheet vs Brighton; Mamardashvili benched.[1][2] |
| RB: Joe Gomez | Fully fit, starts over injured Bradley/Frimpong to counter Hudson-Odoi.[1][2] |
| CB: Ibrahima Konaté | Strong form post-compassionate leave.[1] |
| CB: Virgil van Dijk | Scored winner vs Sunderland; rock-solid.[1] |
| LB: Milos Kerkez | Bounced back with top display vs Brighton.[1] |
| CM: Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister | Midfield pivot; Endo out long-term.[2][3] |
| AM: Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz | Szoboszlai returns from suspension; Wirtz starts amid Gakpo/Ekitiké debate for ST.[2][3] |
| ST: Hugo Ekitiké (or Cody Gakpo) | Only fit No.9 with Isak sidelined (broken leg, back post-March); Slot to decide.[1][3] |
Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Ortega; Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Sangaré, Anderson; Hutchinson/Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus. Ortega in goals (Sels injured); Wood out, Savona/Boly absent.[2][3]
Forest (7-6-13, 27 pts) battle relegation; Liverpool (12-6-8, 42 pts) aim to extend top-four push. Key battles: Salah vs defense, Hudson-Odoi vs Gomez.[4]
Standings note: Liverpool trail leaders but hold strong squad depth despite absentees like Leoni, Frimpong.[3]