Liverpool forward/midfielder Federico Chiesa missed Sunday’s 2-2 draw at St. James Park with an unspecified fitness issue, and he was absent from training earlier today. Wednesday brought the start of preparations for the Saturday lunchtime fixture at home to Nottingham Forest, and Chiesa is certainly a doubt for that match.
His future with the club remains in doubt as well, as we enter the final week of the summer transfer window.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Aug. 29, 2026, 1230pm UK
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Google Result Probability: Nottingham Forest 16% Draw 20% Liverpool 64%
PL Position, Form Guide: Nottingham Forest 15th, 0 pts L Liverpool 10th, 1 pts D
Team News for Both Sides
Other than Chiesa, there were no surprises when it comes to who was present/absent in the Reds training session. The same group of long-term Liverpool inury absentees -Joe Gomez (unspecified muscle injury), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Jayden Danns (thigh), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL)- will all miss out again this weekend.
Shifting gears to the Tricky Trees, first year manager Oliver Glasner gave the following update, pertaining to Morgan Gibbs-White on Monday:
“He got the ball and twisted his ankle, so the MCL was a little bit overstretched and he has some pain in his knee. There is no structural damage, but there’s no point in risking him tomorrow. We’re working really hard to get him fit for the Liverpool game on Saturday.”
Meanwhile Ryan Yates and Nicolo Savona remain sidelined as Forest dropped their first two matches of the season, both to Leeds United. The first came in the league on Saturday, the second in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
And then finally, will Liam Delap be making his Forest debut on Saturday?
According to multiple reports, Forest are about to sign the Chelsea striker, in a £50 million deal, including add-ons, which would make him the most expensive acquisition in club history.
Fellow striker Chris Wood all but confirmed the player’s arrival, saying to ITV after the match: “We’re a very ambitious club, and that shows it by what we’re spending on players like that, good players.
“So it would be fantastic to have Liam through the door, and hopefully it gets all signed and sealed and through the door. It’ll be great for our team competition, healthy competition which is fantastic, and we’ll all become better players for it.”
As the weekend comes to an end, watch this space!
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.