Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham: Prediction and Preview

A Friday night clash at the City Ground kicks off Matchday 17 in the Premier League. We look ahead to the game with our Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham prediction and preview.

Tottenham vs. Nottingham Forest Stats: The Key Takeaways
Tottenham is expected to triumph in their away game against Nottingham Forest on Friday, having won 50.2% of the match simulations conducted by the Opta supercomputer prior to kickoff.
Forest has suffered as many losses at home in the Premier League in the last two games as they have in the twenty prior at the City Ground.

Richarlison increased his Premier League goal total for Spurs by double with his brace against Newcastle on Sunday. He hopes to score in two consecutive league games for the first time since May 2022, when he did so for Everton.

Match Preview

For much of last week, Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper appeared destined to become the second managerial casualty of the Premier League season, with trigger-happy owner Evangelos Marinakis getting twitchy. While Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Wolves granted Cooper a stay of execution, he needs his players to step up for Friday’s clash with Tottenham to avoid any more unwanted pressure.

Forest’s reaction to their 5-0 humbling at Fulham was always likely to be a battling one, and so it proved as Cooper’s men dug in for a draw at Molineux. It could have been more, had Matheus Cunha not cancelled out Harry Toffolo’s header with a well-worked equaliser, but Forest have now only won one of their last 12 Premier League games (five draws, six defeats), beating Aston Villa in November.

Cooper made seven lineup changes in an attempt to sit deep and attack Wolves on the break, and his team’s inexperience hasn’t exactly helped them get comfortable this year. This season, only injury-plagued Newcastle United (30) has used more players than their 28; only Brighton (67) has changed their Premier League lineups more than Forest (44). Brighton is balancing responsibilities both domestically and internationally.

Morgan Gibbs-White is one player who has typically been a fixture. His 94 chances generated and 10 assists in the competition since Forest’s return to the Premier League last August are more than three times more than any other player has managed for Forest. Brennan Johnson, who joined the Spurs on transfer deadline day and will play his first game against his former team on Friday, is second in both categories with 29 chances created and three assists.

After losing striker Taiwo Awoniyi to injury, Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga teamed up in attack on Saturday as Cooper continued to search for the ideal combination. With three Premier League goals this season—two against Luton Town and one against Sheffield United—Chris Wood, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Divock Origi might all be options if Cooper makes changes.

In addition, Spurs needed an answer on Matchday 16, coming into their encounter with Newcastle having lost their previous five games. Theirs was even more dramatic, as Ange Postecoglou’s team easily defeated the other top-four contenders in north London, winning 4-1. With a victory on Friday night, they can tie fourth-place Manchester City because their opponents won’t play until Saturday at the latest.

The game’s standout player was captain Son Heung-min, who first set up goals for Richarlison and Destiny Udogie before winning and converting a penalty kick in the second half. In his previous 13 Premier League games, he has been involved in 14 goals (10 goals, 4 assists). He has also been a good traveler this season, with only Man City’s Erling Haaland (eight) surpassing his seven goals scored on the road.

Richarlison’s brace against Newcastle was much-needed as it matched his goal total from his first 39 Premier League games for Spurs. Spurs have occasionally relied on Son for their goals. For the first time since he accomplished so in his final two Everton games in May 2022, he is now aiming to score in back-to-back league games.

The Brazilian striker should have more time to play a creative midfield role for Spurs on Friday, as he is expected to rejoin Son and Johnson in the front three. Compared to other Premier League players this season, he has generated the most opportunities from open play (36), with Son coming in fourth place with 30.

Of course, Purs still lack a number of important players, such as Micky van de Ven, Rodrigo Bentancur, and James Maddison, but Postecoglou has no new injury concerns in advance of Friday’s trip to the East Midlands.