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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Isaac Seelochan

Five Nottingham Forest fixtures that could decide Premier League fate in relegation battle

Nottingham Forest fans will be anxiously looking over their shoulders as concerns grow over a potential return to the Championship next season.

The Reds are playing Premier League football for the first time in more than two decades this season after Steve Cooper masterminded a revival which saw Forest rise from the bottom of the Championship to a triumphant return to English football's top flight through the play-offs.

But the Reds have a battle on their hands if they are to avoid going straight back down. Forest currently sit 16th in the Premier League and are just two points off the bottom three after Friday's 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

READ MORE: Nottingham Forest in alarming slump as international break must reignite Premier League hopes

READ MORE: Supercomputer predicts Forest relegation blow after Premier League results

The Reds are certainly not without hope but the final 11 games will be huge. Below we look at five of those fixtures which could be key to Forest's Premier League future...

Wolves (H) April 1

Forest return to action after the international break with a hugely important fixture. They face a Wolves team who lost 4-2 at home to Leeds United at the weekend which keeps Julen Lopetegui's team in the relegation mix as they sit just three points off the bottom-three and a point above Forest.

The only reason the Reds are not in the bottom three and with no hope of survival is their solid home record this season with Friday's defeat against Newcastle being their first loss at home since mid-September. Three points are surely a must for Forest when they host Wolves at the beginning of April.

Leeds United (A) April 4

Elland Road is always a hostile ground for any visiting team but Forest must begin to pick more points up away from the City Ground in the final 11 games. And with Leeds currently level on points with the Reds, this becomes a huge fixture for both sides.

With Forest's first two matches after the international break against relegation rivals, both games could very well decide their Premier League status for next season. Defeat against both teams would be nothing short of a disaster but six points would ease the pressure considerably.

Southampton (H) May 6

Southampton remain bottom of the league despite an impressive fight-back against Tottenham at the weekend. The Saints fought back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 against Antonio Conte's men.

But the Saints are likely to remain in the relegation dogfight by the time this fixture comes around, with three of their six games heading into the match against Forest coming against Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle. And with the Reds home form being so key to their survival, this will be another must-win game at the City Ground.

Arsenal (H) May 20

Forest's final home game of the season is a daunting one against current league leaders Arsenal. But with the Gunners currently eight points clear at the top, Mikel Arteta's side may have already wrapped up a first league title since 2004 by the time this fixture comes around.

A potentially weakened and less motivated Arsenal team at the City Ground could give the Reds an excellent opportunity to claim another famous home win, and more importantly a vital three points towards the end of the season.

Crystal Palace (A) May 28

The final game of the season comes away at fellow relegation battlers Crystal Palace. There remains a lot of unknowns over who the Palace manager will be by the time this fixture comes around but this fixture is surely going be important.

Forest will need to turn around their away form by the time this fixture comes around as it may end up being a relegation play off to decide who remains in the Premier League next season.

Which games do you think will be key to Forest's survival? Have your say in the comments section below

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