There’s no getting away from the importance of Sunday’s game at the City Ground as Nottingham Forest prepare to host Everton.
With just four points separating the two teams as they battle for survival, there is plenty riding on this one. The Reds will also be eager to bounce back from last weekend’s 4-0 thumping at West Ham United.
It’s getting towards the business end of the season now and the stakes are getting higher. Ahead of the showdown with the Toffees, here’s a look at the latest goings-on Trentside.
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‘Toughest challenge’
Head coach Steve Cooper has regularly spoken about the challenges which came with last summer’s squad overhaul. Defeat at the London Stadium only underlined how Forest are still finding their feet at Premier League level; there is still plenty to learn.
Great strides have been made since the start of the campaign, but Cooper has continually pointed out that his side still have a long way to go and are still a long way from where he wants them to be. Nevertheless, the team spirit which has developed over the last few months is going to be crucial during the run-in.
“It’s definitely settled down now, everyone is close together. At the start of the season it was hard because you were walking into a changing room with 20 new players coming together and noone knowing each other - and that’s not just off the pitch, it’s on the pitch as well,” defender Neco Williams told the BBC.
“It’s about bonding, chemistry and getting to know each other on and off the pitch. The results started coming then.
“It was tough but now we’ve all really settled in well. We’ve done a lot together as a team. Doing little things like going for coffees and having team meals has really brought us closer together. In the last few months, you’ve seen the results.
“If you ask all the players, they’d probably say it’s been the toughest task in their careers so far, coming into a team with so many new players and playing in one of the best leagues in the world. It was never going to be easy. But we know we have the talent, it’s just building the chemistry on the pitch to help us succeed.”
Ones to watch
Morgan Gibbs-White and Renan Lodi have been picked out as potential big-game players this weekend. The Premier League’s ‘The Scout’ has singled both out for Fantasy Premier League aficionados.
On Gibbs-White (valued at £5.5 million) it is said the upcoming run of home matches (against Everton, Newcastle United and former club Wolverhampton Wanderers) should give him the chance to shine. The attacker has weighed in with two goals and six assists at the City Ground.
The Scout reports: “The 23-year-old averages 5.6 points per match (ppm) at home, compared with a mere 1.8ppm on his travels. He has amassed a team-leading total of 64 points at home this season, placing him fourth among midfielders in Fantasy.
“The underlying numbers further highlight the influence of Gibbs-White on the Forest attack.
He has produced 20 shots and created 20 chances since the season resumed in Gameweek 17, both more than any team-mate. Forest’s kind upcoming run of home fixtures, in addition to a visit to relegation rivals Leeds United, gives Gibbs-White the chance to get more goals and assists.”
Lodi (valued at £4.3m) was an injury doubt for last weekend’s clash, but Cooper will be hoping he is fine for Sunday. He has been a regular starter and generally a consistent performer since getting into his stride in English football.
The Scout writes: “The full-back can be found in just 0.2 per cent of squads for Nottingham Forest’s home encounter with Everton. After struggling for starts at the beginning of the season, Lodi has been an ever-present in the first XI since Gameweek 16. He has helped Forest earn four clean sheets in that run, a total bettered by just four other sides.
“Notably, three of those shutouts were recorded at home, in wins against Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Leeds United. Lodi has also boasted a reasonable attacking threat from his role on the left flank. Indeed, his seven shots and five key passes both place among Forest’s top five players from Gameweek 16 onwards. Lodi’s potential for clean sheets, combined with his attacking threat, could make him a handy budget pick for the upcoming period.”
Danger man
Gibbs-White’s importance to the Reds is highlighted in a stat which emerged earlier in the week. An image shared on social media gained plenty of traction as it showed the top-flight’s most dangerous passers.
The Premier League Passing Danger Index is described as “the harmonic mean of smart passes, deep completions, shot assists and key passes (all adjusted per 90 minutes). The top 15 table featured players with at least 900 minutes under their belts this season.
Gibbs-White was fifth on the list with a PDI of 1.01. He was in good company, with Kevin De Bruyne (1.77), Bruno Fernandes (1.52), Martin Odegaard (1.30) and Kieran Trippier (1.08) ahead of him. Those below him included Mo Salah (0.95), Phil Foden (0.89) and Riyad Mahrez (0.82).
Top spot
Four Four Two knows. No arguments here as Forest’s badge has been rated top of the 92 clubs.
“The tree, the font, the funkiness – archetypal in its simplicity, Forest’s crest is stunning proof that sometimes less is more,” is the judgement. “There’s a reason it’s barely been altered since its debut almost half a century ago. Art.”
Hard to disagree with that description. Wolves, Barrow, Barnsley and Newcastle make up the top five in the list.
Special strike
It was a heck of a hit. It could prove to be a crucial one, too. And now Brennan Johnson’s winner against Leeds United is up for Premier League Goal of the Month for February.
The Wales international’s first-time shot at the City Ground was his fifth league goal of the season, clinching a valuable three points for the hosts. Fans have until Monday, March 6 to make their picks, with votes being combined with the choices from a panel of experts to decide the winner.
Also up for the accolade are Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp, Fulham's Willian, Leicester City's Nampalys Mendy, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Fulham's Manor Solomon and Tottenham Hotspur's Oliver Skipp.
How should Forest line up against Everton? Have your say in the comments below
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