Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest will be the biggest game in the Premier League this weekend. If anyone said those words prior to the beginning of the current Premier League campaign, then everyone would've probably laughed at that person and questioned their football knowledge. Spurs, traditionally known to be a part of the Premier League top 6, and Nottingham Forest, who had one of their best ever Premier League seasons under Nuno Espírito Santo last year, are 2 clubs that have fallen off a cliff this season and are now in a relegation battle.
The stakes are higher than ever for both clubs this weekend, and whoever ends up losing this game might have to say goodbye to the Premier League after this season.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest analysis
Spurs vs Nottingham Forest will take place at Tottenham's home stadium, although we doubt if that'll be of any major advantage to the London club, as their home record this season has been shockingly poor. Nonetheless, it would be better than going to Forest's home and playing we guess.
Another advantage for Spurs is that Forest just played their Europa League game. Although most of their first-team players were rotated, they had later entered from the bench and played for around 30-60 minutes in that game that was extended all the way till penalties. In the end, Forest qualified for the next reason, but it also means Spurs will also have a slight advantage in terms of fitness.
Coming to form, Spurs have shown promising signs under Igor Tudor in their last 2 games, after what was a disastrous start to his Spurs tenure. Forest, on the other hand, have also improved after the appointment of Vítor Pereira. Thus, it is one of those games that's extremely hard to predict if you just look at the form of both teams.
This is a game that'll have to be played by both clubs like a final, as it is a fixture that'll probably decide the fate of their entire season. The stakes involved here means high pressure. We'd say Nottingham Forest has the advantage when you consider this factor, as they're used to being in relegation battles and high-pressure situations. Spurs, meanwhile, have a history of bottling things when things get way too serious and important.
If Spurs had lost against Liverpool, Igor Tudor probably would've been sacked and Spurs would've had a new manager for the Forest game. This also means they could've had a new-manager bounce for this fixture, but now that's gone. Thus, it remains to be seen whether the Liverpool result was actually a good one or not in retrospect.
Who will win Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest this weekend?
We expect both teams to play on the front foot for this fixture, as a draw would make no sense for both clubs here and a win might end up being the reason why one of them stays in the Premier League. In fact, West Ham will be the biggest beneficiaries in case of a draw. Coming to our prediction, we feel that Nottingham Forest are about to shock the world and get the 3 points here. This would also mean the end for Tudor at Spurs, and also the beginning of an impossible job for a new manager who has to help Spurs avoid relegation.
