"One of the grossly misunderstood things is the pressure thrust load on the nozzle due of expansion joint. Many people in the industry, I have come across, feels that in case of untied expansion joints, the full pressure thrust comes to the nozzle ( which is generally wrong as the nozzle should get minimum loading with the untied expansion joints , however the equipment foundation should get maximum loading in that condition )."


Does it matter? The pump it will take it all.
And if the pipe is not perfectly aligned with the nozzle, what it will happen?