Looking to take a major step towards Champions League qualification for the first time this century, Nottingham Forest welcome already-relegated Leicester City to the City Ground for a Premier League clash on Sunday afternoon.
The Tricky Trees secured a point at the base of Crystal Palace earlier in the week, whilst the Foxes managed a rare top-flight success at the King Power Stadium during their last fixture.
Match preview
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After two years of fighting off the threat of relegation to the Championship, two-time European champions Nottingham Forest have moved onto bigger and better things during the 2024-25 campaign, with the East Midlands outfit in with a shout of making the League Phase of the Champions League.
The Tricky Trees were as high as second place in the Premier League earlier in the season, however Sunday’s hosts have stuttered and dropped plenty of points in recent weeks, with the latest such instance arriving on Monday night, when Selhurst Park witnessed a stalemate between Forest and Crystal Palace.
Following a goalless first period, ice-cold Eberechi Eze converted from the penalty spot to put Oliver Glasner‘s Eagles in front, however the visitors were able to throw a telling punch in the contest, with centre-back Murillo netting his second league goal of the term to force a share of the spoils.
Winning just one of their last five top-flight battles as they scramble for a Champions League berth, Nuno Espirito Santo‘s troops have dropped down to sixth spot in the Premier League standings, two points behind Newcastle United and Chelsea in fourth and fifth respectively.
Despite losing back-to-back league matches at the City Ground versus Everton (0-1) and Brentford (0-2) recently, the Tricky Trees have been solid overall on the banks of the River Trent this term, conceding just 13 goals across 17 games, meaning that they possess the joint-best home defensive record.
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After a woeful 11-game winless run in the Premier League stretching back to the end of January, Leicester fans had something to cheer last Saturday afternoon, when their relegated crop produced a promising performance against whipping boys Southampton at the King Power Stadium.
Netting his eighth top-flight goal of the campaign at the age of 38, Foxes legend Jamie Vardy fired his side ahead early on against the sorry Saints, before veteran attacker Jordan Ayew doubled the lead, with the hosts going on to keep a clean sheet for the first time since October.
Following the collection of only their fifth top-flight maximum across 35 battles, Leicester moved up to 21 points but remain stuck in 19th place in the Premier League table, a mammoth 16 points away from West Ham United in 17th with only nine points left to fight for.
During an ongoing six-game winless run on their Premier League travels, the Foxes have earnt just the single point, with their most recent success on the road coming all the way back on January 26, when goals from Vardy and Bilal El Khannous sealed a surprise triumph at Europa League finalists Tottenham Hotspur.
Parachuted into the managerial hotseat in December to replace the dismissed Steve Cooper, Manchester United hero Ruud van Nistelrooy is unsure of his future at the King Power Stadium after just four wins from 24 attempts, with Leicester reportedly sounding out potential replacements ahead of next season’s Championship mission.
Team News
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Nottingham Forest remain without the services of influential winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has been ruled out this weekend due to a hamstring injury.
There are also concerns surrounding the fitness of first-choice defender Murillo, with the Brazilian hobbling off the pitch at Selhurst Park on Monday night.
Should the 22-year-old be unable to feature at the City Ground, Serbian Nikola Milenkovic would be joined by Morato in the centre-back pairing.
Leicester are unable to call upon the services of their first-choice goalkeeper, with Mads Hermansen out of action for the remainder of the term owing to a hernia.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid (muscle), Abdul Fatawu (knee), Stephy Mavididi (muscle) and Ricardo Pereira (muscle) join the Danish shot-stopper in the medical room.
Facundo Buonanotte missed the beating of Southampton due to concussion, with the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee a doubt for Sunday’s match.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Faes, Thomas; Ndidi, Skipp; McAteer, Ayew, El Khannouss; Vardy
We say: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Leicester City
With an away match and a clash with Chelsea on the horizon, Nottingham Forest will be desperate to earn an expected three points against Championship-bound Leicester.
The Foxes put in a convincing display to beat Southampton last time out, however we feel that the visitors will struggle to keep up with the Tricky Trees at the City Ground.
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