Paul Merson thinks Liverpool player is about to have a stormer vs Forest

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Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is going to have a field day in his new midfield role against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

That’s according to pundit Paul Merson. Writing his Premier League predictions for Sportskeeda, Merson said he expects Alexander-Arnold to run riot in a comfortable Liverpool win.

“What scoreline do you want? This game is nearly a foregone conclusion, because Nottingham Forest are atrocious away from home. I love the Premier League because there are no easy games, but this is as close as it gets,” he said, before praising Trent.

“Trent Alexander-Arnold is the best passer of the ball in England. He can spray the ball all over the pitch, and he can put it on a six-pence,” raved Merson. “He doesn’t play safe passes and will rip it up against lesser teams, but I don’t know if it’ll work against the big guns. His passing is second to none at Liverpool and I like what he’s trying – it’s very expansive.

“Diogo Jota chipped in with a very well-taken brace last week. Liverpool have suffered a lot of injuries, but all their players are coming back now.

“The way they pressed last week, Liverpool look like they’ve got the bit between their teeth again. I don’t see anything but a Liverpool victory in this fixture. Liverpool 4-0 Nottingham Forest.”

Trent prepares to take centre-stage

On paper, this is exactly the kind of game that should be suited for Alexander-Arnold to play his new position. At home against a side expected to sit deep, the 24-year-old should get bags of time to pull the strings.

Meanwhile there shouldn’t be too much in the way of trouble heading back the other way. He’ll have to keep his wits about him of course, but expect to see him in midfield more than at right-back on Saturday.

Having said that, we won’t be so bold to replicate Merson’s prediction. Liverpool have been one of the least predictable teams in the league this season and lost the reverse fixture against Forest.

That came a week before the Reds were beaten at Anfield by Leeds United. Having banished the ghosts of that defeat by crushing the Peacocks 6-1 on Monday, Liverpool will hope for similar revenge this weekend.

If they can get it, you’d imagine Alexander-Arnold has been key to it. With seven games left to play and Tottenham playing Newcastle on Sunday, a win will crack open a door for Liverpool’s top-four hopes.

But anything other than three points and the Reds will be back to square one. There’s no room for error on Forest’s first trip to Anfield since a 5-1 defeat in October 1998. Twenty-four-and-a-half years later, a similar scoreline would do just nicely.