LIVERPOOL, England -- "It's happening again." That was the shout from the Nottingham Forest fans as they saw their side secure a resilient 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.

While the chant stemmed from Forest's knack for notable results at Anfield, it equally described how history repeats for Liverpool. By the close of Saturday's Premier League match, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai had shifted to right back as the Reds pushed ahead seeking another late turnaround.

It marked coach Andoni Iraola's debut Premier League outing in the Anfield dugout, but the issues that hampered Liverpool during the match echoed those from last season, which cost Arne Slot his position due to similar fragmented performances.

Forest came to Merseyside knowing that since their 2022 promotion, no team had more Premier League wins against Liverpool than their three. This awareness seemed to inspire them, as Oliver Glasner's new team created several early chances before Dan Ndoye opened the scoring with a composed finish into the bottom corner after 24 minutes.

For the second consecutive week - following last Sunday's 2-2 draw at Newcastle United - Liverpool faced an uphill battle. Last season, the Reds' tendency to give opponents early hope proved costly. In the 14 league games where they conceded first, they secured just one win, two draws, and 11 losses.

One key reason the club chose Iraola to succeed Slot was his capacity to instill high-intensity, attacking football that would engage the Anfield crowd. Yet, at a club like Liverpool, results are essential, and Iraola will soon realize that victories are the surest path to fan approval.

The growing discontent in the stands at times on Saturday likely sent that signal to John Henry. Liverpool's main owner observed from the directors' box next to the club's new vice-chairman, Amit Bhatia.

The Reds' first-half letdown worsened when Florian Wirtz's goal was ruled out for Jeremie Frimpong's offside in the build-up, and then Víctor Muñoz sent a shot over the bar.

Liverpool showed improvement after halftime and leveled on the hour through striker Alexander Isak, who had been mostly quiet until then. Following a quiet opener against former club Newcastle, the Swedish forward's close-range finish after a great cross from Cody Gakpo stood out as a highlight in another turbulent day for Liverpool.

"That's the job ultimately as a striker," Isak told TNT Sports post-match. "Obviously I'm very happy to score the first one and hopefully it just keeps coming."

But like at St James' Park the previous week, the Reds' progress stopped when they conceded another preventable goal - this time a penalty converted by Morgan Gibbs-White after Neco Williams was fouled by Alisson Becker in the area.

Consequently, it was left to Muñoz to become the savior, blasting a powerful shot into the top of the net from a fine Wirtz pass. The strike prevented Liverpool from suffering their first home league defeat of a season since a 2-1 loss to Chelsea in 2003-04.

Still, extending from last season, Liverpool's current six-game winless streak is their longest since 2012. This concerning figure highlights a side that is still developing.

The expected signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain for 123 million pounds should boost Liverpool's forward line. However, having let in three goals in two matches, the Reds require reinforcement in their leaky midfield, and the right-back position continues to be a major concern.

"I cannot tell you anything right now but it is true that there are things going on and that is normal," Iraola remarked on Liverpool's transfer activity. "We are in the last weeks of the market and now we have to wait to see the squad that we will have on Sept. 2, and this is who we are.

"We will then work with certainties. Now everything is quite uncertain and the same for every team. But this is how the competition works. So now wait just some more days and we work with what we have after the market closes."

The transfer window's closure on Tuesday ought to provide some stability for Iraola and his players. Yet, unless Liverpool break these recurring poor patterns, spending heavily will not ensure a successful campaign.