Right now, the big match happening here in Merseyside feels huge for everyone involved. Personally, I just think we’ve got to start winning games, no other option really. Our goalkeeper Alisson being back is a massive relief for us, his presence just makes everyone feel more secure.
It’s kind of funny how things change, I remember us being so strong last season. Now we’re the ones trying to catch up to Arsenal, which is a strange feeling for me. Sean Dyche has Forest playing tough lately, they’re not an easy team to face at all. I am aware that our own defensive record recently hasn’t been good enough, we all know that.
Making his 100th appearance for us is Ryan Gravenberch, which is a proud moment for him I’m sure. And Mo Salah, what a player, he’s about to play his 300th league game which is incredible to me. We’ve had to make a few changes to the team today because of some injuries, which is never ideal.
Forest are sticking with the same players that beat Leeds, which shows they’re confident. For us, getting three points today is the only thing that matters, I can feel the pressure. The fans here at Anfield are always amazing, we need to give them a performance to be proud of.
It’s one of those days where the weather just can’t decide what it wants to do, sunshine one minute and then a cold wind the next. You see the lads in the tunnel, and the focus on their faces is just absolute, I can feel the tension from here. For me, the way we start the first twenty minutes will basically tell the whole story of the match.
I saw Curtis Jones in training yesterday and his energy, it was just infectious, really. Playing him at right-back is a solution we have to try, even if it’s not his natural position. Sometimes a player’s attitude matters more than anything else in these situations.
The noise when we walked out, it just hits you, a real wall of sound that makes the hairs on your arm stand up. There’s no place like a full Anfield on a matchday, honestly there isn’t. It makes you remember why you fight for every single ball.
We worked all week on moving the ball quicker, because against a team that sits deep, you need that. The theory is one thing but doing it on the pitch is what truly counts. I am hoping the changes we made brings that fluidity we’ve been missing.
Personally, I never look at a manager’s record in their first 50 games, it feels like a distraction from what’s happening now. What matters is the next game, always the next one. The past is for other people to talk about, not for me.
From their perspective, Forest will be thinking a point here is a great result, you can sense that in how they’re setting up. They have some real quality in that attack who can hurt you if you switch off. We have to be switched on for the full ninety, not just parts of it.
In the end, the table doesn’t lie about where you are, but it also doesn’t show the whole story. A performance today can change the feeling around everything, it can be a new beginning. That’s the opportunity we have to grab with both hands.
