Everton vs Nottingham Forest – Preview, Lineups, Score Prediction | OneFootball

Fixture: Everton vs Nottingham Forest Competition: Premier League Kick-off: 6th December, 15:00 UK time

Everton host Nottingham Forest at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this afternoon, with Sean Dyche returning with a point to prove after his sacking by the Toffees.

An impressive run of form, beginning with the draw at the Stadium of Light, has seen Everton rise to the top half of the Premier League table, above Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, and just a point behind fierce rivals and defending champions, Liverpool.

The run includes dogged away victories at Bournemouth and Manchester United, the latter of which was achieved with ten men. Despite Idrissa Gueye’s extraordinary red card in the 13th minute, the first since Ricardo Fuller’s in 2008 for striking a team-mate, Everton went on to score, before stoutly holding on for all three points at Old Trafford.

Everton are only three points behind Chelsea in fourth and David Moyes will know they have a real chance of European qualification this season. Moyes would certainly like to make European football a regularity, like he did during his first spell with the Toffees.

He is going to need to find a way to get Everton to score more goals though, with that issue one a Toffees legend cannot think of a solution to.

Nottingham Forest’s record across the previous five games has been identical to that of Everton’s. Though there has been nothing to separate the two teams on that count, it could be argued that Forest have benefitted from facing three out of form teams in Liverpool, Leeds United and Wolves.

Dyche has overseen a gradual uplift in mood at Nottingham Forest, after the sackings of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou created an air of uncertainty around the club.

Since Dyche’s appointment, Nottingham Forest’s fixture list has been punctuated with Europa League fixtures, in a season which has seen the club return to Europe after 29 years. Dyche has achieved impressive results in Europe, including a win against FC Porto, which was his first game in charge, and a win against Malmo.

The reunion with their opponents from the 1979 European Cup final saw Dyche’s side score three goals for the third consecutive game but domestically, Nottingham Forest have failed sterner tests as losses against Bournemouth and Brighton demonstrate that they are still a work in progress.

Nottingham Forest won away at both Everton and Liverpool last season, and if they win on Saturday, they will become the first team since Manchester United in 2006/07 and 2007/08 to win away against both Merseyside clubs in consecutive league campaigns.

Everton’s Idrissa Gueye will be serving the third and final match of his suspension, while Tim Iroegbunam picked up his fifth yellow card of the season at Bournemouth and will serve a one match ban. Michael Keane is a doubt, while Seamus Coleman has a hamstring issue. Ola Aina, Chris Wood, Douglas Luiz, Taiwo Awoniyi and Angus Gunn will remain out for Nottingham Forest, who are also sweating on the fitness of Murillo.

Recent Form (league)

Everton: WLWWD Nottingham Forest: WLWWD

Key Men

Everton

Jordan Pickford might have to pull off some smart saves as two of Everton’s recent wins have come by the scoreline of 1-0. He had an off day against Newcastle United and that hurt Everton.

James Tarkowski will have to marshal the defence and midfield as it is likely to have an unfamiliar look to it with Moyes having to make enforced changes.

Jack Grealish responded to Moyes’ call for more goals from him with the winner against Bournemouth and Grealish will hope to keep fulfilling his manager’s demands.

Nottingham Forest

Elliot Anderson has earned plaudits from all and sundry, establishing himself as a regular in the England set-up and tipped to be a starter at the World Cup. Anderson will want to dictate proceedings from midfield again.

Morgan Gibbs-White is Nottingham Forest’s second highest assist provider and second highest scorer. Gibbs-White will want to return to top form to keep himself on Thomas Tuchel’s radar after missing out during the November call-ups.

Igor Jesus is the top scorer for the Tricky Trees and scored his first Premier League midweek goal against Wolves. Jesus will want to add goals to his otherwise impressive performances.

Match Prediction

Everton head into the fixture as favourites in what has usually been a low-scoring affair, with none of the six games since Nottingham Forest’s promotion in 2022 seeing either team score more than twice.

The Toffees will need to find goals from midfield or elsewhere, as Beto or Thierno Barry cannot yet be relied on for finding the net. Everton have the fewest shots on goal in the Premier League this season 41, with the average of 2.9 shots on target being the lowest since 1997/98, and Moyes’ men will need to put away whatever they create on the day.

Though Nottingham Forest are outside bets for the game, Dyche should look to take advantage of the mounting list of injuries faced by Everton, in addition to the suspensions of Gueye and Iroegbunam.

The Everton line-up had a makeshift look to it against Bournemouth, with players needing to be played out of position in midfield and defence, and it will only be more so on Saturday with Iroegbunam sitting out.

Dyche took advantage of mini-crises at Liverpool, Leeds United and Wolves and made his own luck, and he has the opportunity to repeat the trick once more on Merseyside.

A visit to Everton will certainly be tough, but Dyche will want to pick up points at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to go with all those he accumulated at Goodison Park.

Everton 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Where To Watch?

Everton vs Nottingham Forest is not available to watch live in the UK, but can be followed via each teams’ respective website.