Nottingham Forest is having an unbelievable season, flying high in the English Premier League and reaching the FA Cup quarterfinals.
No one expected the club to be in this position, but cracks are starting to appear, with only four points collected from its last five matches. It won’t get any easier today when it hosts defending champion Manchester City at 8.30pm.
Forest has 48 points after 27 matches, one ahead of City. Only Liverpool (67) and Arsenal (54) sit above them.
Six weeks ago, Forest held a six-point lead over City, but with just one win in its last five matches, it must be at its best at home.
Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders since joining Forest in December 2023, saving The Tricky Trees from relegation on the final day of last season. Now, Forest is on the verge of a return to Europe for the first time since reaching the UEFA Cup quarterfinals in 1995-96.
A two-time European champion, Forest has not played in elite European club competition since 1980-81, when the Champions League was known as the European Cup.
Nuno has shown tactical flexibility, favouring a 4-2-3-1 formation with pacy wingers but also deploying five at the back when needed. At times, he has even used a 3-4-3 setup.
Whatever the formation, Forest has Matz Sels to thank. The Belgian goalkeeper is in the form of his life, leading the league with 11 clean sheets from 27 matches and on course to win the Golden Glove for the first time in his career.
Sels will need to be at his best to stop a wounded Manchester City.
For most clubs, reaching the FA Cup quarterfinals and being within striking distance of third place in the Premier League would be considered a success.
But Manchester City is no ordinary club. Though not at its best, a win today will see City leapfrog Forest.
City’s new Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush looks a sharp signing, while Erling Haaland, back to his best, could fire them to victory.
Elsewhere, Liverpool can extend its lead over Arsenal to 16 points – at least temporarily – if it beats Southampton at 11pm tomorrow.
Arsenal faces Manchester United on Monday at 12.30am, desperate to return to winning ways and close the gap at the top.
Fixtures (Malaysian time)
March 8
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City (8.30pm)
Liverpool vs Southampton (11pm)
Crystal Palace vs Ipswich (11pm)
Brighton vs Fulham (11pm)
March 9
Brentford vs Aston Villa (1.30am)
Wolves vs Everton (4am)
Tottenham vs Bournemouth (10pm)
Chelsea vs Leicester (10pm)
March 10
Manchester United vs Arsenal (12.30am)
March 11
West Ham vs Newcastle (4am)
