Premier League: Forest Seek Elusive Win

Nottingham Forest vs Fulham

Nottingham Forest have beaten Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester United so far this season.

They also have pushed the latter close in the FA Cup and were seconds away from taking points off title chasers Liverpool in the Premier League.

The talent is there, whether under former boss Steve Cooper – harshly removed – or Nuno Espirito Santo.

Yet the reality right now is very different.

Last week’s four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules may yet be reduced on appeal but they can’t rely on that.

Put simply, at this moment in time, they need points, not plaudits.

As Fulham arrive by the Trent, displaying arguably their best form of the season, the pressure is firmly on Forest who have managed just one league win so far since the turn of the year.

Talking Points

Forest are actually without a victory since beating West Ham on February 17 and would have fallen to a fifth defeat in five league games on Easter Saturday had they not seen Daniel Munoz’s 90^th minute header for Crystal Palace hit the post.

That they go into this contest out of the bottom three (on goal difference) must be a relief.

Battling back to draw against the Eagles allowed them to gain ground on two relegation rivals, as Luton succumbed to a late loss at Spurs and Everton were beaten by Bournemouth due to an injury-time own goal on the same afternoon.

Nottingham Forest are desperate to seal a win when they welcome Fulham for a Premier League midweek game — Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo instructs his players during their FA Cup match against Blackpool last January

Forest have already announced they will appeal against their punishment, but it is on the pitch where they need to start winning points if they want to distance themselves from the bottom three.

I don’t know if Fulham are enjoying their best run of the season form or consistency wise, but they certainly have not played as well this season than during the past month, notably in a 2-1 victory at Man Utd and a 3-0 home success over Spurs.

Those Premier League highlights for the Cottagers evoked memories of last season when they upset the big boys with a style and a swagger.

Before Easter weekend, there was even talk of an outside European push.

While that surely ended with a 3-3 draw at rock bottom Sheffield United, they showed real character to score twice in the final four minutes and earn a point.

The player who scored the last-gasp equaliser for the Cottagers, Rodrigo Muniz, has cemented his place as the team’s number nine over the past two months.

In fact, in his last eight Premier League outings, the young Brazilian has scored an impressive eight times.

He will be the player Forest need to keep tabs on if they are to finally secure what would be just a second league win of 2024.

Marksman Chris Wood will again start up front for the home side in the absence of Taiwo Awoniyi but defender Willy Boly is likely to miss out with a muscle injury, as is Nuno Tavares.

For Fulham, Harry Wilson and Bobby De Cordova-Reid are pushing for recalls and manager Marco Silva has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip to the East Midlands.

History

Fulham have won five of their last six meetings with Nottm Forest and are unbeaten in the last five clashes at the City Ground.

It was their 5-0 thrashing of them back in December which prompted the sacking of Cooper as Alex Iwobi and Raul Jiminez both netted twice and Tom Cairney added the other.

Fulham won the corresponding fixture at the City Ground last season as they produced a fine second half showing to win 3-2 with goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, João Palhinha and Harrison Reed.

Awoniyi and Lewis O’Brien had found the net for Forest.

That was actually their first meeting in the top division since a 2-2 draw at the City Ground in April 1968 in League Division One.

The scorers that day were Barry Lyons and Ian Storey-Moore for Forest and Les Barrett and Allan Clarke for Fulham.

Fulham have won eight of their last 10 clashes and last lost in Nottingham in the Championship in 2015.

Overall, Fulham have beaten Forest 45 times compared to 32 successes for the Midlanders and 28 draws.

Their inaugural match-up came in a second round FA Cup tie in 1905 which Fulham won by a solitary goal at Craven Cottage.