Liverpool head coach Arne Slot lavished praise on Nottingham Forest and said on Monday that his side will have their work cut out trying to get a positive result when the two teams face-off at the City Ground.
While Liverpool are unbeaten on the road in the Premier League this campaign, Slot was aware Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest are dangerous opponents.
Forest are the only team to beat Liverpool in the league this season, with the shock 1-0 win coming at Anfield in September.
Liverpool top the Premier League standings with 46 points from 19 matches, six ahead of third-placed Forest.
“I have always said you can judge the table best halfway through the season. They are up there with the rest so they are definitely a team in competition with us and the others,” Slot told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League clash.
“If you look at the way they play and their results then it is deserved. It is going to be a very difficult challenge for us to get a result.”
Slot said while at the time the loss stung, the result against Forest no longer feels like a shock.
“I expect the atmosphere (at the City Ground) to be fired up from the start so it makes it even more important to not let them get going any more,” the Dutchman added.
“They are a team that hardly concede goals. They don’t take many risks in their build-up play so when they lose the ball they have many players behind the ball and they defend with 11 players.”
Having battled against relegation before finishing 17th last season, Forest are on a seven-match winning run across all competitions.
“They have a hard-working team without the ball and they can also hold the ball. (Forward) Chris Wood is a very good example of that,” Slot said.
“They have scored and been a threat by counter-attacks a lot, but they also have quality when they want to play with the ball. Nuno has done a great job at implementing a style of play that suits the players.”
Liverpool will be without Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez due to suspension, while defender Joe Gomez continues to remain out with an hamstring injury.
“He (Gomez) will definitely not be training with the team yet,” Slot added.
