Nott'm Forestvs.Everton

A rare defeat last weekend has allowed the chasing pack to close the gap on third-place Forest, while Everton proved difficult opponents for Arsenal at Goodison Park.

Match preview

Losing 2-1 away to Aston Villa last weekend saw Forest's seven-game unbeaten league run come to an end, and loosened their grip on the Champions League places slightly.

Nuno Espirito Santo's men remain third, but the sides below them all made ground during matchday 31, with Chelsea, Newcastle United and Aston Villa taking maximum points, while Manchester City still lurk menacingly.

Newcastle have a game in hand this coming week and could close the gap to just one point with a win in that, while many still predict Man City to close down the current five-point gap, meaning it is imperative Forest maintain their stunning form up until the end of the campaign.

Forest have an astonishingly strong record against teams currently in the bottom half this season though, taking 40 points from a possible 42 in 14 matches.

Form at the City Ground is also exemplary, with seven wins in their last nine here, drawing the other two, and that is as many as victories as they had managed on home soil in the 24 games prior.

This Forest side will be looking to replicate the achievements of the legendary Brian Clough squad over 40 years ago by returning to the Champions League, but with four clean sheets in a row at home, they have become the first team since that one to manage that feat in the top flight.

Nuno saw his side keep a clean sheet at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture too, during their 2-0 victory, which will give Forest the opportunity to complete a league double over Everton for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

However, recent history will tell the home crowd that may not be as easy as it looks on paper, because Everton have won on three of their last four trips to the City Ground, including last season, when Dwight McNeil netted the only goal, and he is set to be in the visiting squad again here after returning from injury last weekend.

Everton have been notorious at falling short against the big-hitters in the Premier League over a number of years though, with just two wins in 67 matches away to clubs starting the day in the top three.

That does not mean they are incapable of taking points from those hovering around the top though, as Arsenal found out last week in a 1-1 draw at Goodison, meaning six of Everton's last eight Premier League matches have ended level.

Fourteen draws in the league this season is just one shy of Everton's highest-ever tally in a 38-game season, and there are still seven matches remaining, with no club in Europe's top-five leagues this season having drawn more games than the Toffees.

The final seven matches have little riding on them with Everton now 15 points clear of trouble, so the supporters will be glad that they can enjoy their final two months at Goodison stress-free, looking to climb the table to build some momentum ahead of next season.

Forest could serve as the blueprint for their summer decisions, as Nuno's men went from relegation candidates to European challengers in the space of a season thanks to some shrewd signings and solid coaching, something which Moyes is proven at.

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:

L

D

W

W

W

L

Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

L

Everton Premier League form:

D

D

D

D

L

D

Team News

Forest are set to be without Ola Aina with the calf injury that kept him out last weekend, but Alex Moreno will be available again after being ineligible to face his parent club Villa.

There are problems in attack for the hosts too, with Chris Wood, Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga all doubtful, and Nuno was unwilling to give a definitive answer about the status of any of them in his pre-match press conference.

That could provide Jota Silva with the chance to start, and he would be fully deserving of it, scoring in three of his last four games, all of which have been off the bench.

Everton's supporters were glad to see Iliman Ndiaye make his first start in two months last weekend, and he marked the occasion with a goal, taking him back above Beto as the club's top scorer this season.

McNeil was also back in the squad after a four-month layoff, but after undergoing knee surgery, his minutes are set to be managed over the next few weeks.

Vitalii Mykolenko missed out entirely after only just making the side that faced Liverpool a few days earlier, and that could see Nathan Patterson or Ashley Young start at left-back, while further forward on the flanks, Jesper Lindstrom is also battling a groin injury.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Alex Moreno; Yates, Anderson; Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Jota Silva; Wood

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Patterson; Harrison, Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto

We say: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Everton

Both sides have been among the strongest defensively in 2025, so expect little edge to be given, but Forest do have the more potent attack, and if Wood returns, that could swing the balance in their favour.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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