Nottingham Forest welcome East Midlands rivals – Leicester City to City Ground in a blockbuster Fourth Round tie of 2021-22 FA Cup.
Forest are looking to reach the Fifth Round for the first time since 2013-14 season, whereas Leicester are looking to advance beyond this stage for the fifth time in six seasons.
Team News
Lewis Grabban is ruled out for Nottingham Forest after suffering an ankle injury in their league defeat at Cardiff last weekend.
Steve Cook (calf) is a doubt but Alex Mighten, Joe Lolley (both knee) and Joe Worrall (rib) remain absent.
Loic Mbe Soh (thigh) could feature if he is declared match fit.
Leicester could welcome Ricardo Pereira back from a shin injury which has kept him out in recent weeks.
Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho are available after returning early from international duty for Nigeria at 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nampalys Mendy (international duty), Ryan Bertrand (knee), Wesley Fofana (leg), Jonny Evans, Timothy Castagne and Jamie Vardy (all thigh) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- This is the first Fourth Round meeting between Nottingham Forest and Leicester in the FA Cup.
- Nottingham Forest have won one of two previous FA Cup ties against Leicester – winning 5-1 in February 1901 before losing 4-0 at Leicester in a replay in January 2012 after a goalless draw at home.
- Leicester have failed to win in two previous FA Cup visits to Forest (D1, L1).
- Forest have won two of their last five FA Cup meetings against Premier League opposition (W2, L3), with just one of those three losses coming at home – losing 1-0 to Watford in 2015-16 FA Cup.
- Leicester have won four of their their last five FA Cup ties against lower-league opposition (W4, L1).
Prediction
Despite delivering a lacklustre performance in their last match at Cardiff, Forest won’t be too worried coming into this match because they lost their last league game prior to their Third Round win over Arsenal, which could well be an ominous pattern if can repeat that victory here.
Leicester meanwhile will hopefully have been working on their defending over their fortnight break following a shocking run of just three clean sheets since September, although their attack has improved recently as evidenced by a highly-intense effort in their 1-1 draw against Brighton last time out.
This is a local derby clash though so both teams should be up for it and goals surely have to be a safe bet here given Leicester’s leaky defence, yet if the Foxes score first then I can see them kicking on and avoiding a cupset given their recent form against EFL opposition.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Leicester
Result: Nottingham Forest 4-1 Leicester
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