Paul Merson has warned Champions League-chasing Newcastle United that the game against Nottingham Forest "will not be straightforward" as both sides eye what would be vital points.
Forest will look to bounce back from what was a disappointing 3-1 loss against Tottenham last time out. The result means that Steve Cooper ’s side are winless in their last five Premier League games.
Recent results leave the Reds in 14th place in the table, just two points clear of the relegation zone. They have a chance to increase that gap when Newcastle visit the City Ground on Friday night (8pm kick off).
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The Magpies however will also be looking for points in order to close the gap on the top four in the table. Eddie Howe’s team sit in fifth place, four points behind Tottenham, but with two games in hand over their rivals.
Ahead of the game, former Arsenal star Merson has given his prediction for what could be a crucial encounter at both ends of the table. While he has mentioned Forest’s away form, the pundit also points to how vital results at the City ground will be for the Reds.
“This is a must-win game for both teams and I say that for two reasons. Forest are awful away from home, so they need to make their home games count to preserve their Premier League status,” he wrote in his weekly SportsKeeda column. “The City Ground is not an easy place to go to and get a win, so this won't be straightforward for Newcastle.
“Eddie Howe's side, on the other hand, have two games in hand over Tottenham. They are already in the running to secure a place in the top four, but with two wins, they can really put themselves in the thick of the action. The aim of Newcastle's project is to win stuff and while they've had a good start, I think they should go out this summer and sign a handful of top-quality players.
“Liverpool and Chelsea have had nightmare seasons this time around, but that's unlikely to happen in the 2023-24 campaign, so the Magpies need to recruit bigger and better players to compete for major honours.
“The Eden Hazard's and the Neymar's won't really help move their project along - they are at that stage of their careers where they're not going to help you win anything.
“I think this game is hard to call, so I'm going for a 1-1 draw.”
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