Nottingham Forest: Can Tricky Trees 'do a Leicester'? We analyse their chances | OneFootball

Tricky Trees defying the odds

As we've just started the second half of the season it's more than just a flash in the pan now for Nottingham Forest, who after 20 games are third in the table, level on points with Arsenal.

Monday night's win at Wolves was a sixth in a row for Nuno Espirito Santo's men, who have the the second-most wins in the league (12), the second-best defence (GA:19) and the most clean sheets (9).

They've only lost four times this season, away at Arsenal and Man City and home to Newcastle and Fulham, and they're the only team in the Premier League who've managed to beat Liverpool this season.

Next up for Forest - the league leaders at home next Tuesday!

"If they beat Liverpool they are in the title race," said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports ahead of a throwback top-of-the-table clash at the City Ground more akin to those great battles between the sides in the 1970s and 1980s.

From 500/1 outsiders, Forest are now 50/1 for a shock Premier League title win to match that of Leicester's incredible 2016 success - odds that will tumble if they beat Arne Slot's side on Tuesday.

Perhaps a more realistic aim is the 11/4 on Forest bagging a coveted top four spot and a return to the Champions League for the back-to-back European champions of 1979-80 under Brian Clough.

The Forest winning formula

Solid and clinical would two words to describe Nuno's Forest this season, they've only scored 29 goals (13th in the league) but that solid defence has kept them in it. They don't concede many but don't allow many chances either, with the third-lowest xG allowed this season.

Twelve-goal striker Chris Wood, who is a huge 66/1 to be Premier League top scorer, has been clinical, with the second-best goals per shot ratio in the division so Forest are making the very most of their chances while limiting the oppositions.

And if they do get through then keeper Matz Selz with a great 75% save percentage (4th) is there to keep them out.

They don't mind letting the other side have the ball, having only won the possession battle four times - but as they proved at Anfield that's just fine as they won there with 32% possesion, limiting the Reds to just five shots on target.

Forest season stats

Wins: 12 (2nd)Goal Conceded: 19 (T2)xG Against: 24.71 (3rd)Shots on target against: 71 (3rd)Clean Sheets: 9 (1st)Clearances: 563 (1st)Goals from headers: 7 (T1)

Forest scored with all three shots on target at Wolves, playing on the break with limited possession, riding their luck at times but defending for their lives and relying on keeper Selz to make some saves - it was a win that pretty much summed up their season.

What is a realistic goal for Forest?

But how far can they go? Well, they've only used 23 players so far so have not had too many injuries and have a cohesive unit, and unlike their rivals for the top six they're not involved in any European competitions or the final four of the Carabao Cup.

Four points above Chelsea, five above Newcastle and six above Man City looks healthy right now heading into a really congested part of the season - and apart from a trip to Newcastle their toughest fixtures remaining are at home - where they face Arsenal and Man City in back-to-back games at the City Ground at the end of February/start of March.

It's a calm, considered, low-risk approach Forest take, in the image of their manager, but it's a winning formula that has installed confidence and belief in a team that finished 17th last season. If they get a result against Liverpool then "doing a Leicester" will be all the talk again in the East Midlands.