Nottingham Forest welcome Everton to the City Ground in a potential six pointer in the battle against relegation.
Newly promoted Nottingham Forest will welcome a struggling Everton to the City Ground as they seek to put some gap between them and the drop zone.
Steve Cooper’s men have recovered from a poor start to the campaign and have 25 points from 24 games. However, a run of just one win from the last five threatens to see them sucked right back into the fight to avoid the drop.
They cannot just give themselves a shot in the arm this Sunday but also consign Everton to further misery in a season to forget for the Merseysiders. Cooper, a former youth coach at Liverpool will certainly have little sympathy for the Toffees’ struggles.
Sean Dyche enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Goodison Park with a 1-0 win over league leaders Arsenal. Any optimism the result brought has been diminished by other setbacks since. The Toffees are in the relegation zone despite playing one game more than the teams around them. Another loss on will leave them in serious danger of going down.
The match is not just a potential six pointer in the relegation battle but also a zero sum game where one’s gain is equally proportional to the other’s loss. Both sides played out a feisty 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture that saw six yellow cards being handed out. The atmosphere is unlikely to be any different, and it promises to be a hard fought game. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Nottingham Forest
MD-2 ✅ pic.twitter.com/QXJ5dJXwJi
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) March 3, 2023
The Tricky Trees’ return to the top flight has not been short of special moments amidst a massive squad overhaul that has spanned two transfer windows. Steve Cooper and his men have taken to heart the Jekyll and Hyde moniker and can be difficult to play against on their day. Liverpool found it out the hard way earlier this season. And a Merseyside sweep could be on the cards.
Despite having home advantage, Nottingham have a long injury list with nine players and Cooper will have decisions to make. Serge Aurier, Taiwo Awoniyi, Dean Henderson, Omar Richards, Giulian Biancone, Cheikhou Kouyate, Scott McKenna, Willy Boly and Moussa Niakhate.
Keylor Navas should take his spot in goal behind Joe Worrall and Felipe as the centre-backs. The 4-3-2-1 formation will rely on the full-backs to get forward, something Neco Williams and Renan Lodi are adept at.
The midfield trio of Remo Freuler, Orel Mangala and Jonjo Shelvey will be up against a physical side in Everton. Should the trio gain the early foothold, they can swing the tie in their momentum. It will also give Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White the license to push forward.
Chris Wood thrived under Dyche while at Burnley and will now lead the line for Nottingham on the night. While his time at Newcastle did not set any pulses racing, the veteran could hammer another nail into his former manager’s fate at Goodison Park.
Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Navas; Williams, Worrall, Felipe, Lodi; Freuler, Shelvey, Mangala; Johnson, Gibbs-White; Wood
Everton
The Toffees will be without star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is still some way off from returning to full fitness. Nathan Patterson and Andros Townsend are also doubtful to feature on the night and a late decision is likely to be made.
Dyche is one of the best managers available for a side looking to inject passion and physicality into their side but Everton have so far had mixed results. Given the circumstances, anything less than a win on the night could prove to be decisive come the end of the season.
The Toffees are likely to deploy in a 4-5-1 formation that will be keen to seize control in the midfield. Jordan Pickford is sure to start in goal with Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane, James Tarkowski and Vitaliy Mykolenko in the backline.
"Dominic Calvert-Lewin is recovering and getting strong."
Asked about his availability for #NFOEVE: "We'll see."
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— Everton (@Everton) March 3, 2023
Alex Iwobi and Dwight McNeil will be tasked with making forays forward while the trio of Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and Abdoulaye Doucoure will form the muscle in midfield. Neal Maupay will lead the line on the night and will hope to end his hoodoo in front of the goal. James Garner is getting closer to a return. But this weekend might have come too soon.
The battle in the midfield is likely to set the stage for how the game pans out. While neither side may play eye-catching football, the one who can make the most of their possession of the football could come away with all three points on the night.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Onana, Gueye, Doucoure, McNeil; Maupay
Key Stats
- This is the first time that Everton will travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest since 1998. Everton have kept seven clean-sheets against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, winning all of the games they have managed to keep a shutout in.
- On the contrary, Everton have failed to win a single Premier League game where they have conceded to Nottingham Forest.
- Everton are winless in their last eight Premier League games against newly promoted teams, the longest run of any team in the top flight this season.
- Everton’s longest run without a win against promoted sides in the top flight was between 1971/73 for a period of nine games. Failing to win this weekend will see them equal that record.
- Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in the last eight Premier League games at home. This is the second best unbeaten run at home this season in the Premier League.
Player to Watch
Chris Wood
The veteran striker might have found the back of the net just once since moving to the City Ground in January but could prove to be key against Everton.
Not only does he add some much needed muscle upfront but will also come up against former teammates Michael Keane and James Tarkowski. Wood should have a good idea of what to do against Sean Dyche’s physical style of football, and that experience could prove pivotal in how he approaches the game.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Everton
Putting up one of the most formidable home sides against poor travelers appears to be a foregone conclusion on paper. However, both teams desperately need points, and fighting spirit could very well prove to be a difference maker.
Nottingham Forest also brought in some much needed quality in January, and this slight advantage could shift the tide in their favour. It promises to be a hard-fought game, with the home team clinching all three points by a solitary goal.
