Nottingham Forest and West Ham chase a first Premier League win of season as they meet at the City Ground on Super Sunday.
Having both suffered opening defeats last weekend, victory would see Forest or West Ham avoid another matchweek in the relegation zone.
Team News
Scott McKenna is a doubt for Forest after he suffered a knock in training this week.
Steve Cook (knock) is a doubt but Ryan Yates (knee) and Omar Richards (leg) remain absent.
West Ham could be without goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski after the Pole suffered a dead leg during last weekend’s defeat against Manchester City but he faces a late fitness test.
Craig Dawson (thigh) and Michail Antonio (knock) will also face late fitness tests but Nayef Aguerd (ankle) and Angelo Ogbonna (fitness) are still ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Forest have won just one of eight previous Premier League meetings against West Ham (W1, D3, L4).
- West Ham are unbeaten in four previous Premier League visits to the City Ground (W1, D3).
- Forest have kept just one clean sheet in their eight previous Premier League meetings against West Ham – in a 0-0 draw at home in September 1998.
- Sam Surridge has scored four goals in Forest’s last two regular season home matches.
- West Ham are looking to avoid going two consecutive league matches without scoring for the first time since December 2021 – in which they drew 0-0 at Burnley and lost 2-0 at Arsenal within three days.
Prediction
Having not played in the Premier League this century until last week, Forest certainly got a stark reminder about the qualify difference between leagues because they were just wasteful with rare attacks, whilst their defence struggled to play out the way they did last season.
West Ham meanwhile had a difficult opener at home to Man City but should be heartened by how well they played with consistent shape organisation, even though they lacked the final touch whilst small defensive errors just proved their undoing but should look to bounce back here.
Forest though should hopefully have a raucous home crowd in town to motivate them to mark their first home match in the top-tier this century with a win, but a lot of improvement is needed otherwise I can see an away win if the Hammers can tidy up their mistakes from last weekend.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-2 West Ham
Result: Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham