Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Both clubs are enjoying a streak of success. Nottingham Forest have picked up at least two wins, and they've surged into the Champions League spots. To maintain their position, they must keep winning. Newcastle United also need victories, as despite their win in the last round, they remain in the lower half of the table.
Nottingham Forest
Only Liverpool (six) have conceded fewer goals than Nottingham Forest (seven). A significant contributor to their climb to third place is the straightforward scoring prowess of striker Chris Wood. The New Zealand forward has netted eight goals, more than all of his teammates combined (six). During their unbeaten four-match run, he scored five of their eight goals, finding the net in each fixture. While he's on the pitch, he poses a constant threat to the opposition. Earlier in the season, Nottingham Forest were minimalist, playing out results like 1:0 or 1:1, but now they've secured wins like 3:1 (against Leicester City) and 3:0 (against West Ham United).
Newcastle United
Newcastle United, on the other hand, continue to adhere to 1:0 scorelines and similar margins. They brought Arsenal into their fold last Saturday (1:0). Despite Arsenal's attempts to breach Nick Pope's goal, they were unsuccessful. The visitors can only blame themselves, with just one shot on target from 10 attempts. Arsenal's 1.05 xG was realistically weaker than Newcastle's 0.53 xG with 9(4) shots. Alexander Isak, scoring for the third consecutive game, sealed the win. He is as much a target man as Wood but offers a lighter presence.
Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle United Prediction
Nottingham Forest are more reliant on their central striker, but shutting him down is nearly impossible. Considering Newcastle's defensive injuries (Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier) and their record of just one away win from five attempts against the league's most conceding team—Wolverhampton—not all points may be lost for Nottingham Forest. In the current League Cup, the teams drew 1:1 in Nottingham, so a double chance for Nottingham Forest seems reasonable.
