Nottingham Forest travel to Exeter City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, with a number of interesting angles already being discussed about the potentially one-sided tie.
Exeter are on a run of three consecutive League One defeats, conceding ten goals in the last two to leave their start to 2025 in the third division pretty miserable for their fans.
The same can’t be said for Forest fans though as barring Forest’s shock 5-0 loss to Bournemouth, 2025 has seen Nuno Espirito Santo’s side kick on in their hunt for European football.
To add intrigue to the tie, VAR will not be used in the FA Cup fourth round due to a discrepancy in facilities at the various remaining home grounds in the competition, which will likely be music to Forest fans’ ears after VAR incorrectly ruled out Nikola Milenkovic’s goal against Southampton recently.
The fixture also has another unusual feature to it, which Nottingham-born commentator Chris Sutton has expressed concern over in his prediction for the match.
Chris Sutton screams over Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup schedule.
Following Forest’s FA Cup third-round victory against Luton Town, Espirito Santo will be confident in another encounter against lower-league opponents.
However, one peculiar feature of the tie is that it will be played on a Tuesday evening rather than a traditional weekend slot, which Sutton has commented on in his monthly BBC Sport predictions piece.
Sutton stated, “I know it’s being televised, but I don’t understand why this game has to be on a Tuesday night, and I don’t like it.”
“The timing might affect Nuno Espirito Santo’s team selection before Nottingham Forest go to Fulham on Saturday. It seems unfair they cannot play at the weekend like everyone else, and have a clear week before heading to Craven Cottage.”
While this did not prevent Sutton from projecting a 3-0 win for Forest, his concern over the Fulham game is valid. Fulham’s FA Cup fourth-round clash against Wigan Athletic is on Saturday afternoon, so they will have three extra days of rehabilitation and preparation before facing Forest.
It’s obviously something for the Forest manager to think about while putting up his team, with the possibility of using Forest Academy players against Exeter clearly present. Whatever team he chooses, it will have no effect on Sutton’s forecast because he has a clear preference for the City Ground club.
Chris Sutton has a historical soft spot for Nottingham Forest.
Continuing with his forecast, Sutton stated: “This is the first time Exeter has reached the fourth round since 1980-81, when they lost to eventual winners Tottenham in the quarter-finals.
“I’d love to see Forest – have I mentioned they were my boyhood team? – replicate their accomplishment and reach the final this season. If they make it to Wembley, I will absolutely be there to cheer them on.
Sutton, a Nottingham native, was a Forest supporter as a child and has certainly carried that affection for the club into his sporting career.
Thanks to this season’s incredible run, Sutton has claimed to be a Forest supporter again, which may not be popular with fans who have stood by Forest managers through the tough times in the Championship, but his roots in Nottingham make his interest in the club understandable.
The prospect of seeing Sutton at Wembley Stadium cheering Forest on may anger some fans who aren’t fans of his punditry, but if that’s what it takes to reach the FA Cup final, most supporters would be on the same page as the former Blackburn player.
