Salah's City Ground Mission: Liverpool's Talisman Hunts for Redemption Against the Only Team to Stop Him Last Season

Mohamed Salah heads to Nottingham Forest's City Ground on February 22, 2026, driven by a personal quest for redemption. Last season in the 2024/2025 Premier League, Forest stunned Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield, with Callum Hudson-Odoi's 72nd-minute strike ending the Reds' unbeaten run and exposing vulnerabilities under Arne Slot.[3]

As Liverpool's top scorer with 17 goals and 5 assists in 17 matches this term, Salah—currently at 14 goals and 3 assists—bears the weight of reversing that bitter memory.[1] Forest sit 12th with 21 points from 21 games (6-3-12), while Liverpool hold 4th on 35 points (10-5-6), making this clash pivotal amid a tight mid-table race.[1]

The match gains extra layers: Ramadan begins around February 17, overlapping the fixture. The Premier League has approved breaks for Muslim players like Salah and Ibrahima Konaté to break their fast, potentially pausing play near sunset (17:30-18:00 UK time) during the 16:00 kick-off.[2][6][8] Captain Virgil van Dijk praised Salah's irreplaceable role post a recent 3-0 FA Cup win, urging his extension beyond 2027 amid Saudi rumors.[5]

Forest boast threats like Morgan Gibbs-White (5 goals), Hudson-Odoi (3 goals), and Hugo Ekitiké (8 goals), with Rayan Aït-Nourí also fasting.[1][6] Salah, eyeing World Cup 2026 fitness, dismisses Al-Ittihad links, focusing on Liverpool where he's vital alongside Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch.[7][1]

Contrast last season's 3-0 Anfield rout (Jota, Núñez, Salah goals) with Forest's shock win—Salah seeks to reclaim dominance. Liverpool eyes replacements like Yan Diomande if he departs, but Van Dijk insists: "Mo is still very important."[3][4][5] A win here reignites title hopes in this personal showdown.

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