Munoz Rescues Liverpool on Debut as Forest Twice Lead at Anfield

Victor Munoz marked his first Liverpool start with a goal in front of the Kop to salvage a point against Nottingham Forest, who had twice led through Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White.

The match at Anfield on 28 August 2026 — Liverpool's first home game of the new Premier League season, kicking off at 12.30pm BST — was a chaotic, open affair that left the home support riding every passage of play.

Forest struck first. Ndoye found the net for the opener, and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was well beaten, according to BBC Sport's player ratings. It was the kind of goal that left Virgil van Dijk furious at how easily the backline had been cut open. Alisson, rated a 5 by the BBC, did manage an important save to deny Igor Jesus on the brink of half-time, keeping the deficit at one.

Alexander Isak dragged Liverpool level on the hour mark. Remarkably, it was only his ninth touch of the game — a striker who can disappear for long spells and then surface exactly when needed. Cody Gakpo created the chance.

Forest were not done. A penalty conceded by Alisson gave Gibbs-White the chance to put the visitors back in front, and he took it. Van Dijk's frustration was visible again at how softly the penalty had been won.

Then came the moment Anfield had been waiting for. Florian Wirtz, the summer signing whose creativity has been the talk of the club, provided the assist. Gakpo was involved again, having created both Isak's equaliser and the build-up to Munoz's strike. The new man finished in front of the Kop, and the ground erupted.

For Munoz, it was a debut that will live long in the memory — a first Liverpool start, a first Liverpool goal, and a point rescued when the afternoon was slipping away. For Forest, there was frustration at twice surrendering a lead, but also encouragement: their record in opening away league games is poor, with only one win in the last eight seasons across those fixtures, per Liverpool FC's pre-match statistics.

Arne Slot made a defensive shift in the 71st minute, replacing left-back Milos Kerkez — making a milestone appearance — with Kostas Tsimikas, but the equaliser had already arrived and the game settled into a breathless, end-to-end final twenty minutes with neither side finding a winner.

What makes this stand out is how many threads ran through a single match. A debutant announcing himself at the Kop end. A goalkeeper whose error gave Forest their winner, then could not quite make amends. A striker scoring with his ninth touch. And a playmaker, Wirtz, already pulling the strings. Anfield got its money's worth.