Nottingham Forest FC vs Newcastle United, Premier League 2022-2023, Today Match Prediction

Nottingham Forest FC vs Newcastle United Match Prediction & Analysis

Newcastle and Nottingham Forest had both enjoyed strong starts to the year – Eddie Howe’s men had pushed on into 3rd while Forest had put some distance between themselves and the bottom three – although their form took a turn for the worse.

Both teams endured five-match streaks without victory, which saw them lose both momentum and league places. Newcastle may have turned a corner in that respect.

Having lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester United, the Magpies appear to have some confidence once more with an important win over Wolves last weekend. 

On the flip side, Nottingham Forest are still waiting for that win to lift their spirits once again. Three defeats have come in their last five and their gap to the bottom three has shrunk to just two points.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Nottingham Forest FC Preview

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Won their last two home league games against Newcastle, albeit when in the Championship

     Would be 11th in the league based on home form this season

Reasons to be fearful:

     Brennan Johnson is likely to miss out through injury

     No wins from any of their nine Premier League games against Magpies

Nottingham Forest’s surge up the table has been cooled by a patch of indifferent form, losing three of their last five and winning only one of their last seven in the league.

It’s an interesting test for Steve Cooper – can he re-energise his troops just as it looked as though they had gone a long way to securing Premier League survival for this season, only to be dragged back into danger.

True, some of those games came against top clubs, with Forest playing Tottenham, Manchester City, Fulham and a battling Everton during that period.

However, with Wolves, Leeds and Aston Villa coming up, Cooper will target these games as strong opportunities to get back on the winning road.

They must overcome both a poor record against Newcastle and the fact that Brennan Johnson may not be fit enough to play, having picked up a knock against Tottenham last week.

Star Man – Morgan Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White has Forest’s second-best goal contribution rate this season, after Brennan Johnson, including five assists.

Newcastle United Preview

Reasons to be cheerful

     Never lost to Forest in the Premier League

     Alexander Isak appears to have found form at the right time

Reasons to be fearful

     Must win here to prove that poor form is over

     Will slip further down the league if they fail to secure victory

Newcastle’s form may well have taken a turn for the better but they must prove that with a win over Nottingham Forest here.

With just one victory from their past seven, the Magpies appeared to have dipped at exactly the wrong time, just as Liverpool and Tottenham were gaining strength once again.

Nevertheless, with two games in hand over Spurs, the Magpies’ fate is very much in their own hands. Slip up here, however, and their indifferent run of form will continue.

They have an excellent record over Forest in the league, of course, and they appear to be boosted by the resurgence of Isak.

Star Man – Alexander Isak

The Swedish 23-year-old was sensational in Newcastle’s win over Wolves and should now claim a place in the starting line-up over the misfiring Callum Wilson, who looks like he needs a break.