Nottingham Forest will endeavour to win their third consecutive Premier League game when they welcome West Ham United to the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams butt heads for the first time since February when the Tricky Trees secured a 2-0 home victory over the Hammers, courtesy of goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Match preview
© Imago
This time last year, Nottingham Forest were languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table with 10 points, but fast-forward 12 months and they are five points and eight places better off following a bright start to the 2024-25 campaign (W4 D4 L1).
Since the arrival of Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo in December 2023, only Erling Haaland (18) has scored more Premier League goals than striker Chris Wood (17), who netted a brace against his former club Leicester City in a 3-1 away victory over Steve Cooper's side a week last Friday.
Forest have collected 11 of their 15 Premier League points on the road this term - only Liverpool have picked up more away from home - and they currently sit seventh in the top-flight standings, just two points behind Arsenal in third.
Not only have Forest impressed going forward, they have also looked solid at the back under Nuno this term, as they have conceded the second-fewest goals (seven) in the division; not since the 1978-79 campaign have they conceded fewer goals in the top flight.
The Tricky Trees are now bidding to win three successive Premier League games for the first time since May 1999, and they will fancy their chances of success on Saturday as they have won both of their previous two home games against West Ham since returning to the division in 2022.
© Imago
Consistency has been one of the main issues for Julen Lopetegui's West Ham side this season, as they have won three, drawn two and lost four of their nine Premier League games.
However, either side of a heavy 4-1 loss to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the Hammers have won twice on home soil against Ipswich Town (4-1) and Manchester United (2-1), beating the latter last weekend thanks to a controversial 92nd-minute penalty scored by Jarrod Bowen.
West Ham, who are now looking to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since March, have climbed up to 13th place in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone and just three points behind the top eight.
The Hammers enter Saturday's contest seeking to improve their away from in the Premier League having won just three of their 13 matches on the road in 2024, conceding two or more goals on eight occasions in the process.
West Ham have won two of their last three meetings with Nottingham Forest, both at the London Stadium, while their last victory at the City Ground took place in August 2011 when they won 4-1 as a Championship club under former boss Sam Allardyce.
Team News
© Imago
Nottingham Forest still having to cope without injured duo Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahim Sangare (hamstring), while Hammers loanee James Ward-Prowse is ineligible to face his parent club.
Nuno has revealed that Wood (foot), Morgan Gibbs-White (ankle), Elliot Anderson and Jota Silva (both knock) are all doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Taiwo Awoniyi could replace Wood up front if he is not deemed fit to start, while the rest of Nuno's starting lineup could remain intact pending a final fitness check.
As for West Ham, Niclas Fullkrug is still recovering from a long-term Achilles injury that has kept him sidelined since early-September, while Mohammed Kudus is serving the second of a three-game suspension.
Lukasz Fabianski was handed a start between the sticks ahead of first-choice Alphonse Areola against Man United, and the 39-year-old could keep his starting spot this weekend, while Jean-Clair Todibo is set to battle with Konstantinos Mavropanos for a start in central defence alongside Max Kilman.
Tomas Soucek will be pushing for a recall in centre-midfield at the expense of either Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez or Carlos Soler, while Crysencio Summerville will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI to play alongside fellow attackers Bowen and Michail Antonio, after scoring his first Hammers goal last weekend.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Yates, Dominguez; Elanga, Anderson, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Summerville; Antonio
We say: Nottingham Forest 2-1 West Ham United
Nottingham Forest's hopes of success on Saturday could depend on whether top scorer Wood and star midfielder Gibbs-White are fit to feature. If they are, then that would significantly strengthen a Tricky Trees outfit currently in high spirits and one that may just do enough to claim maximum points against an inconsistent West Ham side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
