Nottingham Forest welcome Everton to the City Ground in the fight for Premier League survival.
Victory would see Forest go 12th in the table, wilst Everton can climb out of the relegation zone with a win.
Team News
Renan Lodi is a doubt for Forest after suffering a groin injury in their defeat at West Ham last weekend.
Ryan Yates (fitness) is in contention to return after over a month on the sidelines due to illness.
Dean Henderson (muscle), Serge Aurier (calf), Giulian Biancone (knee), Omar Richards (leg), Moussa Niakhate (thigh), Willy Boly, Scott McKenna, Cheikhou Kouyate (all hamstring) and Taiwo Awoniyi (groin) remain absent.
Everton could welcome James Garner (back) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring) back into contention.
Nathan Patterson (medial ligament) and Andros Townsend (knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Forest welcome Everton to the City Ground in a 2pm GMT kick-off on Sunday 5 March, live on Sky Sports in UK.
Stat Attack
- Nottingham Forest have won just one of their last six meetings against Everton (W1, D1, L4).
- Everton have won three of five previous Premier League visits to Forest (W3, L2).
- Forest have failed to score in all three home losses to Everton in the Premier League.
- Steve Cooper’s Forest are yet to lose at home in the league in 2023 (W2, D2).
- Everton have conceded six goals in two away matches under Sean Dyche without scoring (L2).
Prediction
Having looked second-best throughout last weekend’s defeat at West Ham with little creativity and end product, Forest now need to reset and try to hit the ground running quickly but importantly avoid another late defensive meltdown which was deservedly punished.
Everton though seem to have their own end product issues to deal with which hopefully will ease now Calvert-Lewin is back, although their overall attacking quality is more positive amidst sloppy defensive switch-offs which were punished by Arsenal in midweek.
This game though feels like it could be decided in goal because Keylor Navas and Jordan Pickford are two brilliant goalkeepers, although my instinct is a Forest win because Pickford and Everton’s defence do seem more vulnerable on pure form at minute.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Everton
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