Victor Munoz struck late to rescue a 2-2 draw for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest as Andoni Iraola avoided defeat in his first match in charge at Anfield on Saturday.
Forest looked set to secure a third consecutive victory at Anfield after Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty twice put the visitors ahead.
Alexander Isak brought Liverpool level early in the second half, but the hosts needed another late intervention from Munoz to salvage a point and ensure Iraola remained unbeaten after his opening two games in charge.
Iraola had hoped for a memorable occasion in his first match at Liverpool’s iconic home, but instead got an early indication of the scale of the challenge facing him following the departure of Arne Slot.
Liverpool were repeatedly exposed at the back by a Forest side that had failed to score in their opening two games under Oliver Glasner.
Jeremy Jacquet produced a brilliant last-ditch block to deny Igor Jesus, while Ndoye headed narrowly wide before Forest made their pressure count in the 24th minute.
A long ball forward caused chaos in the Liverpool defence, with Jesus initially getting the better of the home side’s backline. Although he was eventually dispossessed, Gibbs-White picked up the loose ball and teed up Ndoye, who found the far corner.
Liverpool thought they had hit back when Florian Wirtz found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside against Jeremie Frimpong in the build-up.
Alisson then kept the hosts in the contest with a crucial save to deny Ndoye a second goal in first-half stoppage time.
Wirtz continued to show flashes of his quality without fully taking control of the game, but Liverpool eventually found their equaliser on the hour mark.
Cody Gakpo, one of the Reds’ brightest attacking performers in the opening weeks of the season, delivered an inch-perfect cross for Isak to tap home.
The equaliser appeared to swing momentum in Liverpool’s favour, but Forest responded with a sucker punch.
A quickly taken throw-in caught the Liverpool defence sleeping and allowed Neco Williams to race through before he was brought down by Alisson, who had charged off his line.
Gibbs-White calmly sent the Brazilian goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to restore Forest’s lead.
Iraola responded by turning to his bench in search of another way back, and the move eventually paid off.
Wirtz threaded a precise pass through the Forest defence for Munoz, who fired his effort in off the crossbar to score his first goal since joining Liverpool from Osasuna.
Neither side could find a decisive goal in a breathless finale, leaving both Iraola and Glasner still waiting for their first victories in charge.
The result again highlighted the work facing Iraola, with Liverpool’s expensively assembled side still struggling to find consistency despite significant investment.
The Reds’ new recruits have yet to fully justify their huge transfer fees, while their defensive vulnerability was again exposed by Forest’s ability to create chances.
Liverpool could, however, have another attacking option available when they face Ipswich on Friday, with French winger Bradley Barcola reportedly close to completing a move from Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcola has been one of Liverpool’s leading targets for months, with reports suggesting a £106 million ($144 million) deal could rise by a further £17 million.
His arrival could raise further questions over Gakpo’s future, with Tottenham and Manchester City reportedly interested in the Dutch international, despite his encouraging start to the season.
