Match Preview: West Ham vs Nottingham Forest
West Ham (3-5-2): Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Coufal, Ward-Prowse, Rodríguez, Soucek, Wan-Bissaka; Bowen, Kudus.
Subs: Fabianski, Soler, Paquetá, Füllkrug, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Álvarez, Emerson, Ferguson.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangaré, Anderson; Gibbs-White, Domínguez, Elanga; Wood.
Subs: Miguel, Morato, Hudson-Odoi, Toffolo, J. Silva, Yates, R. Sosa, Oliveira, Abbott.
Nottingham Forest has an opportunity to potentially set up a thrilling final day Champions League qualification decider against Chelsea if they manage to defeat West Ham at the London Stadium today.
While Newcastle will also be in the mix for the top five when they take on Arsenal later, a win for Forest would lift them to 65 points—tying them with Manchester City, who have a game against Bournemouth coming up. They would be just one point behind Chelsea, the same team they’ll face next weekend. If Forest drops points today, it would heavily dampen their chances of securing a Champions League spot next season, although it’s worth noting that qualifying for the Europa League or Conference League isn’t necessarily a failure.
After spending time in the top three, Forest supporters are anxious to ensure their team doesn’t miss another crucial chance to gain points, especially against a struggling West Ham side, who’ve won just once in their last nine matches—against a faltering Manchester United. The Hammers, lacking motivation, are up against a Forest squad that should be highly motivated.
Kick-off is at 2:15 PM (BST), with team news coming shortly.
Team News
West Ham (3-5-2): Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Coufal, Ward-Prowse, Rodríguez, Soucek, Wan-Bissaka; Bowen, Kudus.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Soler, Paquetá, Füllkrug, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Álvarez, Emerson, Ferguson.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangaré, Anderson; Gibbs-White, Domínguez, Elanga; Wood.
Substitutes: Miguel, Morato, Hudson-Odoi, Toffolo, J. Silva, Yates, R. Sosa, Oliveira, Abbott.
Match Context
It’s surprising to recall that just last season, West Ham finished in ninth place with 52 points while Nottingham Forest struggled in 17th, managing only 32 points. This season, though, has seen a significant turnaround. With Forest boasting 62 points compared to West Ham’s 40, it highlights how much can change in a short time frame. Perhaps it’s a lesson in planning—or the lack thereof.
Today’s match presents a fascinating twist: Forest aims for a double over West Ham, something they haven’t accomplished since the 1983/84 season. With West Ham having a strong home record against Forest, something’s got to give.
