Nottingham Forest FC vs Leicester City, Premier League 2022-2023, Today Match Prediction

Nottingham Forest FC vs Leicester City Match Prediction & Analysis

Slowly but surely, the tide has started to turn for Nottingham Forest of late. Steve Cooper has gradually molded his squad into a competitive force and the results are finally showing on the pitch.

The win over Southampton, a team with whom they shared a bottom-three position not long ago, was massive for both their league standing and their confidence.

A point against Chelsea helped too, while their recent win over Wolves in the Carabao Cup means they have a semi-final to look forward to. They wouldn’t want to undo all of their good work here, however.

Having pulled themselves out of trouble earlier this season, Leicester are starting to slip back down the table in a worrying fashion. 

Their sizeable injury list hasn’t helped matters and you feel their next few fixtures will go a long way to determining how the rest of their season shapes up.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Nottingham Forest FC Preview

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Recent results will have boosted confidence

     A settled team had led to consistency on the pitch

Reasons to be fearful:

     Lost 4-0 to Leicester earlier in the season

     Injury doubts include Awoniyi and Boly to add to growing treatment list

The summer saw Nottingham Forest sign an incredible number of players – over 20 in fact. New signing Gustavo Scarpa has recently joined in this transfer window on a loan deal.

It’s a good job, in reality, as Forest currently have a number of players out injured. Taiwo Awoniyi has cemented himself as Forest’s main striker, is a doubt here.

As is Wilfried Boly in defence, who scored Forest’s goal as they beat Wolves in the Carabao Cup in midweek. The likes of Lingard, Kouyate and Richards are definitely out too.

The meeting between these two earlier in the season was a low point for Forest, losing 4-0 against a Leicester side that was beginning to recover from their own poor start.

Now, Forest will believe that the tide has turned in their favour – they can go ahead of the Foxes in the table with a win here.

Star Man – Morgan Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White shook off the abuse from his former club to celebrate in front of them as they beat Wolves in the Carabao Cup in midweek. The forward is young and has much to learn, but is certainly a talent upfront.

Leicester City Preview

Reasons to be cheerful

     Won 4-0 against Forest earlier in the season

     Have scored twice as many goals as Forest this campaign

Reasons to be fearful

     One of the longest injury lists in the league

     Won just two of their last six in all competitions

Just as things seem to be looking up for Nottingham Forest right now, the tide is turning in the wrong direction for Brendan Rodgers and Leicester.

At the halfway mark of the season, you would expect your squad to be at peak fitness and coming into some form that they can sustain until the end of the campaign.

Leicester have been up and down since the very start, although that hasn’t been helped by one of the worst injury lists in the league.

James Maddison is out, alongside Justin, Evans, Soumare, Pereira, Bertrand and Praet. To add to their worries, fit players such as Vardy, Iheanacho, Daka and Perez aren’t firing on all cylinders.

Defeat here could leave them straddling the relegation zone once more and with Brighton, Villa, Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal to follow before February, life doesn’t get any easier.

Star Man – Harvey Barnes

With Maddison injured and Vardy now past his best, Barnes has to shoulder the responsibility of dragging this team forward.