Relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest are all set to host 12th-placed Fulham in search of three important points.
Fulham will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Nottingham Forest, who have struggled for wins of late. A defeat here could see the home team fall into the drop zone.
The Tricky Trees are currently 17th on the points table with 22 points out of their 30 matches after being handed a four-point deduction during the international break for breaching Premier League’s financial rules. They are level on points with 18th-placed Luton Town and if they want to avoid dropping into the relegation zone, they will have to secure all three points.
Nottingham Forest have been winless since mid-February when they won 2-0 against West Ham. Post that fixture, they lost three league games in a row and their last two outings have ended in a draw. They are not in the best of forms, but it is a must-win and they will look to step up their game.
Meanwhile, Fulham are 12th on the points table with 39 points in their 30 outings. The Cottagers do not have to worry about being involved in the relegation battle as they have a 17-point advantage over the 18th-placed team. But, they will still be eager to win and push to finish as high as possible.
The visitors have won three out of their last five league games but are heading into this one on the back of a 3-3 draw against Sheffield United. While it was not the ideal result, they came back from two goals behind to claim that point, and it will give them a boost heading into this fixture. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Nottingham Forest
Taiwo Awoniyi, Willy Boly, and Nuno Tavares are all unavailable for this fixture. Ola Aina made his return on the weekend and could start here. The home team will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Matz Sels will be in goal. Neco Williams and Ola Aina will be the full-backs, while Felipe and Murillo will take charge in the heart of the defence.
Ryan Yates will pair up with Ibrahim Sangare to form the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure they have the majority of the ball and control the tempo of the game.
Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi will provide the width to their attacks. They will look to stretch the opposition’s defence. Meanwhile, the highly sought-after Morgan Gibbs-White will feature as the attacking midfielder. Chris Wood will be the one leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Felipe, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Sangare; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Fulham
Fulham are the only English top-flight team that do not have any injuries to worry about. Marco Silva has a full-fit squad at his disposal, and he could field the same XI that he did last time out.
The visitors will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Bernd Leno will be in goal. Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson will be the full-backs, while Tosin Adarabioyo and Calvin Bassey will feature in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed will form the double pivot. They will look to ensure their team controls the tempo of this game. Alex Iwobi and Willian will feature on the flanks. They will provide width to their attacks while Andreas Pereira, who will be the attacking midfielder will look to create chances for their star forward Rodrigo Muniz.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Bassey, Adarabioyo, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Iwobi, Andreas Pereira, Willian; Rodrigo Muniz
Key Stats
- Nottingham Forest have been winless in their last five league games.
- Fulham have won each of their last four games at the City Ground.
- The home team were handed a four-point deduction during the international break for breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability regulations.
- After being on a three-match losing streak, the Tricky Trees have bounced back with two consecutive draws in the league.
- Nottingham Forest lost the reverse fixture 5-0 which had a big say in the sacking of fans-favourite Steve Cooper.
Player to Watch
Willian
At the age of 35, Willian still seems to have it in him. The Brazilian winger might be in the final phase of his career, but he is still getting it done in the English top flight. He has featured in 25 league matches for the Cottagers this season and has contributed towards six goals. He has been a constant threat while going forward. The former Chelsea star will look to add to his tally when he takes the field against Nottingham Forest.
Prediction
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Fulham
Nottingham Forest’s recent form suggests it is going to be very difficult for them to get one over Fulham. They have not won in a long while and are unlikely to do so against the Cottagers. The visitors have a lot more quality in their team than that of the home team and they should come out on top here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the away team.
