Sports Illustrated FC
·17 Mei 2025
West Ham vs. Nottingham Forest: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

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Yahoo sportsSports Illustrated FC
·17 Mei 2025
Nottingham Forest must claim victory during their trip to West Ham United on Sunday afternoon to keep their dreams of Champions League qualification alive.
Defeat at the London Stadium would guarantee they cannot finish in the Premier League‘s top five this season, while a draw would all but end their hopes of achieving a place in Europe‘s premier competition next term. Without a victory in three matches, Forest simply can‘t afford another slip-up ahead of their crucial final day encounter with Chelsea.
West Ham will be aiming to upset the party but having nothing but pride on the line in the capital. The Irons climbed to 15th in the table after securing their first win since late February at Old Trafford last weekend and Graham Potter will want to build on a positive result in the final two matches of the campaign.
Michail Antonio is still missing. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images
West Ham‘s departing quartet of Aaron Cresswell, Vladimír Coufal, Łukasz Fabiański and Danny Ings will turn out at the London Stadium for the final time in claret and blue this weekend, although it remains to be seen if all four will start against Forest.
In terms of injuries, West Ham are only without attacking duo Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio, with the long-term absentees missing for the final two games of the campaign.
Potter could name the same team that beat Manchester United last time out.
West Ham predicted lineup vs. Forest (3-4-1-2): Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Coufal, Ward-Prowse, Rodríguez, Wan-Bissaka; Souček; Bowen, Kudus.
“We are concerned but we are positive,” said Nuno Espirito Santo on Taiwo Awoniyi. The Forest striker underwent surgery after colliding with the post in last weekend‘s draw with Leicester City and has since awoken from an induced coma. He will need plenty of time to fully recover.
In regard to other injuries, Forest are only sweating over the fitness of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Murillo, both of whom are doubts for Sunday‘s trip to London. The former has missed the last two matches and the latter was absent for the draw with Leicester.
It‘s now or never for Forest as they scramble for a top-five finish. They can only blame themselves for a flurry of recent blunders but still have the opportunity to redeem themselves should they win their final two and results elsewhere go their way.
With West Ham plodding along until the end of an underwhelming campaign, Forest‘s extra motivation should see them over the line. However, they will have to be wary of the Hammers‘ attacking threats, in particular Jarrod Bowen.
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