Nottingham Forest meet Tottenham this evening in a very unusual 6pm Premier League kick-off – and here’s our anticipated lineup for the crucial away trip to the capital.
The Reds bounced back to win 3-1 over Fulham on Tuesday night. Forest led 3–0 at halftime, with to goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood, and Morgan Gibbs-White.
A win was exactly what Forest needed after going five games without a Premier League victory. Following the three big ones on Tuesday night, a draw with Crystal Palace feels like a good point.
Ahead of this evening’s encounter against Tottenham, the club’s second visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we’ve taken a look at a possible team Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo could field.
Predicted Nottingham Forest team to face Tottenham.
Forest now has a new goalkeeper to root for, and Matz Sels was nominated for Save of the Month this week. He will almost probably start, and Espirito Santo has recently praised Sels.
Ahead of Sels, we believe there is no cause to change anything, and Espirito Santo would be prudent to back Andrew Omobamidele and Murillo as a partnership moving forward.
The Republic of Ireland defender feels like a good foil for the Brazilian, and he has seldom looked out of place since arriving at the City Ground.
Similarly, at full-back, we believe Neco Williams and Ola Aina are the primary choices on the right and left sides, respectively, and both should play.
Espirito Santo has faced a similar dilemma in midfield as he did at centre back. However, against Fulham, things clicked, and Ryan Yates and Danilo now own the shirts.
It appears like things have been narrowed down slightly. Going ahead, it appears like it will be Ibrahim Sangare or Yates, with Danilo or Nicolas Dominguez as options.
Fitness will be evaluated in advanced positions. Callum Hudson-Odoi attended class on Tuesday and shared a nice embrace with Forest head coach Espirito Santo following the game.
Anthony Elanga was a threat on Tuesday, even if things didn’t go his way in front of the net. We anticipate him to start against Tottenham.
Morgan Gibbs-White, meanwhile, must play. Danny Murphy praised Gibbs-White and predicted that he will eventually play for a Champions League squad.
In attack, there is only one man for the task. Chris Wood pleased Steve Hodge on Tuesday night, and with Taiwo Awoniyi injured, the 12-goal striker will get another chance.
Predicted Forest Team:
Who else is in contention for Forest vs Spurs?
The group finally appears to be staying fit, which is encouraging given the time of year. Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly were the only ones who did not attend class on Tuesday.
Espirito Santo is unlikely to get those players back for the trip to London, so things remain as they were on Tuesday night.
Giovanni Reyna impressed from the bench on Tuesday, while Rodrigo Ribeiro, who joined from Sporting Lisbon in January, is also looking for more playing time.
Another player vying for a starting spot is Divock Origi. He was so close to scoring against Fulham, and he’ll want to grab his first Premier League goal at some point.
In defence, Gonzalo Montiel and Harry Toffolo will handle the full-back positions. Moussa Niakhate will give solid backup at the heart of the back four.
Cheikhou Kouyate will most likely join Dominguez and Sangare in midfield to complete the bench.
Nottingham Forest’s anticipated team against Tottenham: Sels; Williams, Omobamidele, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
